


The Himalayan Refuge

by EmeraldRoseQuartz, Latent_Thoughts



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), F/M, Falling In Love, Female Character of Color, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Indian Character, Indian Ofc, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel) Feels, Loki (Marvel) Has Issues, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki discovers Indian food, Loki does touristy stuff, Loki in Hiding, Loki in India, Loki in the Himalayas, Loki is a foodie, Loki lands in India, Loki learns about Hindu gods, Loki meets an Indian girl, Magic, Magic-Users, POV Loki (Marvel), Pavlovian bangles, RP format, Roleplay fic, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Safety, Seidr, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, discovering a new culture, kulfi, more paranthas, not your average Loki fic, paranthas, poc ofc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:47:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 39,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27455968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldRoseQuartz/pseuds/EmeraldRoseQuartz, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Latent_Thoughts/pseuds/Latent_Thoughts
Summary: When Loki poofed with the Tesseract after the attack of New York, he desired to go to a safe place, somewhere he could recover and plan his next move. The Tesseract took him to Palampur, India–a sleepy town in the lap of the Himalayas. There, he indeed got the refuge he needed in a British era cottage, but his entanglement with its caretaker caused his plans to change…
Relationships: Loki & Thor (Marvel), Loki (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s), no thorki - Relationship
Comments: 145
Kudos: 132





	1. To Safety

**Author's Note:**

> So, we wrote a new story for @allaboardthereadingrailroad's Diversity Challenge. It features a POC Original Female Character (from India) and Loki.  
> There will many references to the Indian culture and Hinduism (since the OFC is a Hindu) throughout the story, not to mention, a boatload of yummy Indian food. Enjoy these delicacies vicariously through Loki. :D

**IMPORTANT NOTES**

**Bold Text** = _Loki's POV_

Normal Text = _Maya's POV_

* * *

**The glowing blue and white smoke cleared around him, and Loki landed in a crouch, catching his balance somewhat precariously as his hands were completely occupied with grasping the Tesseract while his wrists were attached by the manacles. He hadn't had the time to remove them before that miraculous moment, where the Tesseract had skidded up the linoleum to come to rest right at his bootheel. He hadn't even taken a moment to think, he'd just** **_acted_ ** **, grabbing the glowing cube, closing his eyes, and commanding it to take him to safety.**

 **And now...here he was.** **_Safety_ ** **, apparently. Though, to say where exactly "safety" was left him with a mystery to solve. He appeared to be on Midgard still, but somewhere rural, quiet...bucolic. Rolling green hills, terraced for what appeared to be some kind of agricultural reason, stretching back for miles before serving as nothing more than a verdant carpet for the colossal, snow-capped mountains in the distance. And in the foreground...a small grouping of simple homes with slanting roofs, connected by dirt paths and interspersed occasionally with scruffy, hearty trees.**

**Seeing the signs of human civilization, he changed his leathers and the metal atrocities that were "imprisoning" him into clothing that would be less suspicious to a Midgardian--a simple white collared shirt and black slacks. He had just cast the Tesseract into his interdimensional storage when he felt light droplets upon his face, and he turned his attention to the sky. Storm clouds gathered overhead and thunder rumbled softly, more of a gentle warning than a crashing, angry noise. It would be raining heavily soon, within minutes--he could feel it in the air. Loki began to look around him, seeing if any shelter could be found nearby.**

**But before he could turn around completely, he heard a voice directly behind him.**

Maya was running late. She knew that she had to get to the cottage as soon as possible. She had received a message from her employer and landlord that there was a guest coming. 

It had been a month since anyone had arrived here; she had gotten a bit too used to the peace and quiet. And now some rowdy guy from the foreign lands would arrive and ruin it. They always did. They came to the Himalayas to chill, but they did everything but!

Due to its proximity to Mcleodganj and Dharamshala, Palampur saw a lot of foreigners. Not that Maya minded it. She only minded the so-called friends of her landlord--Mr. Ajay Raichand. After all, she had to be the caretaker of not just the cottage, but she _also_ had to look after their needs. 

All this, for a measly sum of Rs.8,000 per month. Oh well... at least she could avoid paying rent by staying in the attached cabin, which Mr. Raichand had offered for free. It was not that bad a deal, she had to remind herself. She could always have it worse, considering her heritage and notoriety in the village. Mr. Raichand was at least kind enough to ignore the local superstitions…

As she ran up to the cottage, she suddenly felt a weird sensation run down her spine. She shivered but kept running, holding her long skirt up to avoid the puddles in the road. She didn’t have the time to stop and observe whatever was going on with her. She had a job to do...

Running down the road to the cottage, she saw a tall figure standing there, looking uncertain. Something about him was very... _unsettling_ , so she approached him slowly. She was certain that he was the person who she had been notified about. 

"Hello?" she called, coming up behind him just as it began to pour. _Goddamn rains..._ "I'm sorry you had to wait! I just got here. Please come with me before we both get soaked."

She jabbered on as she waited for him to turn around...

**Loki turned too quickly, realizing just how on edge he still was, even in these peaceful surroundings. Not an hour earlier, he'd been engaged in battle with the greatest force Midgard had ever managed to cobble together, and he'd been--to put it bluntly--** **_smashed_ ** **rather thoroughly. Though, he was already nearly healed from it, the memory and indignity of it stung worse than anything, and the residual jumpiness would take some time to recede.**

**When his eyes landed on the woman, he first noticed the long, flowing blue skirt she wore, hemmed by a darker blue strip. It shifted and flitted as she moved, coming up tight around her waist and laying over a tucked-in tight white shirt. Her slippered feet were already moving backward toward an ornate, smallish home on the other side of the road, quite a bit more sophisticated and luxurious than the surrounding buildings in the small village nearby. She was darker in complexion--at least, compared to him--with large, deep brown eyes that looked entreatingly at him as she waved him toward the dry interior of the house. Her dark brown hair, long and thick with waves and curls, began to lose its volume as the rain soaked in.**

**She looked harmless enough...and, after all, he had commanded the Tesseract to bring him to** **_safety_ ** **. This place certainly seemed safe enough.**

**With that assurance in mind, he followed her to the cottage to get out of the wet weather.**

"So, I didn't receive much info from my employer, just that a ‘Mr. Williams’ was coming," she said as he followed her to the veranda of the British era cottage. "I'll need you to do a diary entry for the records, Mr. Williams."

She gave him a sheepish smile, always so embarrassed to talk business with the buddies of her landlord. A few of them had gotten offended and scoffed at her in the past just for mentioning the diary entry, so she always tried to tread carefully.

"But we can do it later. No issues. I think I'll show you to your room first." She pulled the heavy set of keys out of her satchel and unlocked the cottage in haste, feeling extremely nervous in this man's presence for some reason. 

Perhaps it was his unyielding, penetrating stare. Or his height? Or the fact that he had not spoken at all? Whatever it was, it had her on edge. 

"I have prepared the bedroom on the right for you. But otherwise, the whole cottage is yours. I will be here too. I'm the caretaker, as you know, I’m sure. And the cook as well--I can make all kinds of food, veg and non-veg. You can ask me for whatever you need." She gave him a sharp look as they entered the bedroom. "But I, umm... I hope you know that I can't procure the _green stuff_ for you. The most I can do is bring in some local wine, which is good, mind you. There's a tea plantation and recreation hub down at Neugal Park that sells good fruit wines."

As she said that last bit, she hurriedly brought him a towel from the bathroom cabinet.

She knew that she very well _could_ procure the _green stuff_ for him, but she wasn’t going to mention it to him. She didn’t want any hanky-panky business happening here because of her.

**Loki took in his surroundings as she chattered, telling him about the amenities of the charming house. It was well-kept, clean. Plenty of artistic baubles and somewhat gaudy valuables adorned the shelves of the home, and soft carpets covered the most heavily trafficked areas of the tiled floor.**

**So...this was some kind of vacation home, owned by this woman's "employer." She must be a servant, then, which could prove to be helpful in discerning where he was and how to stay off the radar for a while.**

**He took the towel from her, noting, with interest, how her bangles clinked together as she did so. It matched with the soft chiming that came from the strange, chain-like anklets that she wore.**

**It was a charming fusion of sounds.**

**She took out a second towel and began to dry her own hair, and Loki followed suit--mimicking behaviors was a sure way to endear himself to her, at least for now. Best to try and keep her compliant and unsuspicious, so that she saw him as friendly instead of standoffish, lest he need to make a hasty retreat from this admittedly comfortable secret hideout. His charm would serve him well here.**

**Her last statement confused him, though. "** **_Green stuff?_ ** **" he questioned, allowing the slightest shadow of a grin to cross his lips.**

Maya blinked at him as she dried her hair. Was he trying to pull her leg here? Was he trying to be ironic? Cheeky?

"Yeah," she answered, barely stopping herself from adding a 'duh' to it. "Weed. Ganja. To smoke? To get _high_?"

She waited for his response, and during this long moment, she couldn't help but think that his voice was like wild forest silk--smooth, but still, rough enough to catch on her skin. It was rich and dark and deep... and almost mesmerizing.

There was a good chance that he could do really well in the sales business. His voice was just _that_ disarming and persuasive. 

**"Ah...yes...** **_weed_ ** **..." Loki murmured. Some kind of narcotic, he inferred, and it sounded like it was regularly used recreationally. Regularly enough that this woman felt the need to deny her ability to procure it for him off the bat. That was interesting. "Wine is perfectly fine, thank you.”**

 **His eyes continued to trace along the lines of the unique architecture of the home. Most of what he'd seen of modern Midgard was in New York City: bustling, urban, technologically advanced, compact, utilitarian. This building represented everything that** **_wasn't_ ** **that--clearly handmade by an artisan, designed with care to be one-of-a-kind, meant to be savored and enjoyed instead of simply used as a means to an end. And it was of a decidedly different culture from the buildings in New York, particularly those of Stark's aesthetic. Perhaps this girl's employer was royalty here. That could be advantageous.**

**"Could you make some dinner? The journey here was rather tiring, and I'd like to rest."**

"Of course!" she replied, looking at her watch. "But umm, it's only 6:00 PM. So you'll have to give me some time. What would you like to have?"

She went over to the bed and pulled back the bedcover for his benefit, folding it neatly and putting it in the lowest shelf of the built-in-the-wall armoire.

"As I said, I can make all kinds of stuff. Vegetarian, meat or chicken. I make very good local river fish as well, but I'll have to procure it first." She turned back to him with a smile, trying to put an effort into pleasing him, so as to get a hefty tip. "So... I see that you don't have any luggage. Is it going to be a short stay then? Oh, by the way, my name is Maya. Maya Karwal."

**Ah, what a curious name...**

**"I'm Lo...Luke." Loki caught himself quickly, checking her face to see if she suspected anything from his slip-up. She didn't seem to care. He relaxed. "Luke Williams. But please call me Luke."**

**He smiled widely, catching her gaze. When they made eye contact, she slowed, seeming to dive into his soul for a moment with her piercing, dark gaze, and he held it, perhaps a bit too long. After a few seconds, she looked away shyly, turning all her attention back to preparing the room...but he didn't miss the slight upturn of her lips.**

**"I'm not sure how long I'll be staying," he continued, watching her as she puttered around the room and prepared everything for him, the soft chimes of her jewelry accompanying her like a companion.**

**She was intentionally trying not to look at him again, and it made him grin. Playing this game was fascinating and, dare he say it, fun. And he was never one to pass up an opportunity for fun.**

**"I'm doing a bit of soul-searching...I'll just need some privacy and quiet. And cook whatever you have available, so long as it's hearty, warm, and flavorful."**

"Well, you've come to the right place then," she replied, fluffing the pillows, still looking downward, avoiding his gaze. "You will have plenty of peace and privacy. I stay in the cabin that's separate from this cottage, but within the same property. You can call on my mobile phone whenever you need me; otherwise, I'll only come in to make food and do the housekeeping. If you want to go out and shop, I can be your guide too, but please..."

She finally looked up at him, knowing that there was no avoiding meeting his eyes now. Damn... they were a fascinating mix of green and blue, almost aglow from within. She blushed as he gave her a little smirk. 

_Control yourself, Maya... you have dealt with this job for almost five years now. Don’t be stupid now._

"...can you keep it on weekends? Or maybe evenings? I have to attend my college classes during the mornings... till midday. Or else you'll just have to go with Ramkishan, the watchman, and his English is... well, barely workable."

**"I'm sure I'll manage."**

**Loki quirked an eyebrow at her as she turned away again. She was almost adorable, with her shy little looks and her awkward focus on her menial tasks. Loki sat on a chair near the bed and removed his shoes, putting on a show of being relaxed and settling in. She had mentioned classes...so she was a scholar?** **_And_ ** **a servant? Perhaps her position as househelp here was temporary. There was still a significant amount about Midgardians he had yet to learn, in particular the cultural differences--so many cultures! But that was apparently what happened with a species as prolific and short-lived as humanity.**

**"What classes are you taking?" He asked off-handedly, leaning back and weaving his fingers together, resting them on his stomach and watching her lazily. "You're very well-spoken. Do you strive to be an orator? Or perhaps an author?"**

Maya was jolted by his questions. In her five years of service here, none of the guests had ever asked her anything like this, anything even barely personal...

Why was he taking a personal interest in her?

She turned to him once again, her eyes narrowing a little. She still wasn't sure if he was trying to mock her or was genuinely interested. And the praise...damnit, it _did_ feel good to be appreciated.

"Umm, I'm doing a course in Agricultural Science," she replied, clutching the folds of her long skirt. "As for my English...I read a lot, so it's all by osmosis. Thank you. I don't know about being an author or orator; presently, I'm just trying to complete my education" _...and make ends meet._

Her face grew hotter as she thought about the class difference between him and her. She always tried to avoid these thoughts. And with the present company being so strikingly handsome, she knew she had to avoid certain other thoughts, too. Thoughts that would do her no good.

"I should go and pick something from the back garden for your dinner. I'm thinking of making Chinese style manchurian and pulled chicken with hakka noodles." With that, she pressed her palms together in the typical _'namaste'_ pose. "I'll be in the kitchen... and my mobile number is on the notebook near the nightstand, just for your info."

**Loki returned the unfamiliar gesture, again, practicing mimicry--he put his palms together and lowered his head slightly, then followed her with his eyes as she left the room. Once she was out of sight, he took the opportunity to cast a ward over himself and the building to shield him from Heimdall’s gaze. Hopefully, he hadn’t waited too long; surely Thor and the rest of this Norns-forsaken planet (not to mention Thanos and his forces) were searching for him, and he needed some time to recoup, to come up with his next plan.**

**Fortunately, with the Tesseract, he could go anywhere he wanted, instantly. The question was...where to next?**

**Perhaps Jotunheim?**

**Or some other realm where no one knew who he was?**

**His tumultuous thoughts were interrupted when Maya re-entered the room, carrying a handful of dark green plants. He looked at her and smiled welcomingly, trying to keep her calm and under the pretense that he was simply a visitor invited by her employer to spend some time relaxing in this cottage.**

Maya stared at him for a few moments, assessing him for any shadiness. While she had been in the garden to pick the vegetables, she had felt a strange pull on her senses. She didn't quite understand it, but it felt like one of her herb potions doing their work. Confused, she had come back to Luke, for he had been the only new presence in this place. 

But she had found him lounging in the room, just relaxing. _Strange._

To cover up her almost-gaffe of rushing to him with an armful of leafy veggies, she showed him the herbs she had gotten for the dish, mainly lemongrass, garlic and ginger. All homegrown by her. 

Usually the foreigners were impressed by it. But he seemed preoccupied. Distracted even...if not slightly annoyed at her intrusion. 

She quickly made herself scarce then, worried that he'd think her too nosy.

But again, in the kitchen, while she was cooking the chicken brought by Ramkishan, she felt that pull. She was almost certain that some sort of energy manipulation was at play. She was sensitive to it, after all, being what she was. 

But once again, she couldn't understand from where it was emanating. She didn't see Luke working with plants... 

The only work he did with plants was _eat_ her manchurian at dinner...

**Loki noticed that she had begun to watch him more closely as she served dinner, as though she knew something were off. How had he roused her suspicion? He’d been careful to remain relaxed and casual, and yet he could feel the new tension in her: heart rate increase, slight perspiration, less fluid movements. What had caused it?**

**Surely it wasn’t the ward...was it? Loki was under the impression that Midgardians had lost the ability to sense or use magic some time ago. But what else could explain her sudden change of attitude?**

**Apparently, he would need to be more careful, even in the relative safety of this secluded cottage.**

**It also occurred to him that he should learn a bit more about where he was staying.**

**“Maya?” he said formally, calling her attention. “Could you tell me more about this place? I haven’t been here before. Other than the tea plantations, what else does this town have to offer a wayward traveler?”**

Maya gave him a slight smile, still watching him with suspicion. 

"This village is on the outskirts of the main town, Palampur, and it's pretty boring--they just grow lots of wheat, rice and potatoes here. We do have an obscene amount of tea, though. But it's different from the other types of tea, like Assam or Darjeeling. I'll make a cup for you after dinner, it's very soothing." She took a bite of her food as he chewed and looked over at her thoughtfully, absorbing her words. "Then there are the religious places. Lots of Hindu temples, and also an influence of Buddhism, since the Dalai Lama lives not far from here, in Dharamshala. You can visit the temples, they span throughout the district of Kangra, where we are. And of course, you can go for local crafts and woolens, made in the traditional Himachali style."

She was pretty sure that she was info dumping on him. But like, he _had_ asked. What else could she do?

"I did tell you about the wines. The winery is on the other side of the adjoining town. And of course, there's the natural beauty of the Himalayas. The views are breathtaking. I can take you for sightseeing, if you want."

She didn't know if he'd take it up. A part of her wanted him to, but another, more sensible part, wanted him to just get high and stick to the cottage. Less work for her to do, right?

But what if he tipped her? Then it'd be awesome...

Yeah, but that wasn't the only thing that was making her eager for it. She'd be lying if she told herself that. No, she just found him... intriguing? Mysterious? 

A tall, dark haired, pale, handsome guy...

_Girl, that's how they get you... the vampires, that is..._

She almost choked on her chicken piece... her own thoughts were just THAT ridiculous.

**He appreciated her knowledge and candor, listening carefully as he ate the unusual cuisine. It was hearty and warm, just like he’d asked for. But the** **_flavors..._ ** **they were** **_remarkable_ ** **! Intensely powerful and delightful, unlike anything he’d eaten before. He tried to keep himself from appearing overly enthusiastic, but he certainly ate more quickly than usual. He hadn’t realized how hungry he’d been. Before he knew it, his plate was empty.**

**“Could I have some more of that?” He asked, again attempting to mask his eagerness with an air of disinterest. “You’re quite a good chef.”**

**As she loaded more of the delectable food onto his plate, he watched her keenly, taking in more of her features--the plumpness of youth in her cheeks, the way her brows pulled together when she focused, how her breathing changed when she got closer to him...**

**She caught him staring.**

**He let her.**

**He grinned, enjoying the dusky blush that flushed her face and neck as he did so. Thanking her quietly, he took the dish and sat back, taking a few more bites in silence and listening to the rain pounding on the roof before continuing the conversation.**

**“Perhaps you could show me around tomorrow. The temples sound fascinating.”**

Of all the places, he wanted to visit the temples? _What a strange man..._

Maya raised her eyebrows at him, though she kept her reaction tame. "Of course, sir, I'll arrange for that tomorrow morning. Thankfully, it's a Saturday, so I will be free to show you around."

She saw that he was eating the food quite eagerly. Still, he did that with an air of sophistication that none of her other guests had possessed. Well, it was good to have a well-mannered charge every once in a while. Less stuff to worry over. 

She still couldn't forget that one time when the neighboring farmers had called the police because of the drunken antics of one particular group that was staying over. That was a harrowing experience, but at least the policemen had left after being paid a hefty amount in cash. That was how small towns worked here. After all, no actual crime had been committed... small mercies.

"The temples here are dedicated to Shakti and Shiva--they're one of the prominent Hindu deities," she said, hoping to give him a reference point regarding the temples. "They're husband and wife, and very popular among the people here. You may find them to be a bit unconventional."

She noticed that his plate was empty again, and she promptly served him more of the fare without being asked. His appetite was phenomenal.

**His eyebrows went up as she loaded his plate with a third serving of the dinner without his asking, surprised at her adept understanding of anticipating needs and executing. She was an excellent servant, to be sure...but Loki was certain that she was far more than just “the help.” Her knowledge, her scholarly pursuits, how she put herself together and carried herself. There was definitely more to her, and he found himself curious to know more.**

**She had mentioned her “mobile number” in case he needed to get a hold of her...which meant he should probably procure one of those “cell phones” all the Midgardians carried around these days.**

**“I’m wondering, where can I find a mobile device? Mine was lost on the journey here, and I need to get a new one quickly.”**

**He reached into the pocket of his slacks and secretly manifested a Midgardian-style wallet full of those green bills he’d seen in New York. Pulling it out and flipping through some of the bills, he handed her a stack of them**.

**“Will this be enough?”**

Her eyes widened upon seeing so many dollar bills. She had honestly never seen such an amount in cash before--it was worth four years of her income. 

So... maybe he was intending to stay longer?

She also wanted to know why he had handed her _American Dollars_ instead of _Euros_ or _Pounds_. But she kept mum for the sake of hospitality and amiability; too much curiosity was often considered offensive. 

_Foreigners and their strange ways..._

Doing a quick mental calculation, she took about half of the wad and pushed the rest back towards him. 

"I think this will suffice for all of your needs for quite some time, not just the phone and sim card," she said, pocketing the cash. "I will get them exchanged into Indian Rupees. No worries. I've done it for others before. I'll get you a good phone and a sim, on my name. Easier to deal with the red tape that way."

She chuckled as she finished her meal, wondering just how rich this man was. He had literally just thrown a huge amount at her--$5,000 to be precise, without even batting an eyelid. 

"But you must return the phone to me upon your return to London. It won't work there, and I can easily sell it off in the second hand market. I'll send you the money online then." She tapped her fingers on the table nervously, trying her best not to stare at him. He was very easy on the eyes, and she needed to keep herself pragmatic here. "I will retreat to my cabin after cleaning up. So... before I do that, let me know if you need anything."

**Loki’s fork clinked against the empty plate as she finished speaking, and he hadn’t realized he’d already finished the third serving of her dinner. She began to scoop the remaining amount out for him, but he put up a hand and laughed softly.**

**“Please. If I eat anymore, I may burst. But that was one of the most delicious meals I’ve had in quite some time.”**

**_The best since I lived in the palace..._ ** **he thought to himself, realizing just how long ago that felt now. So much had changed in such a short time...perhaps he could use this respite to try and process that as well.**

**She uttered a soft “thank you” and smiled gratefully, clearing the plates and dishware from the table. Once again, the alluring clinking of her jewelry filled the room as she worked. She was lovely, if he were being honest. In a simple, unassuming sort of way.**

**“Are there any books here I could spend my evening reading? Or a computer I could use? It’s been a long day...I’m looking forward to some relaxation.”**

**Yes, relaxation...like having her rub his tense shoulders, or press those rosebud lips of hers along his jaw...**

**_What?! Stop that..._ ** **Loki scolded himself. His thoughts betrayed his long-denied need for physical contact, but he wouldn’t use this mortal to sate those desires. He did not know how long he would be staying here, and he needed her more as a guide and servant than as a lover. Now** **_that_ ** **could get complicated.**

**So instead, he sat back with a bemused smile and awaited her answer.**

After putting the dishes in the sink, she came back from the kitchen and stood before him with folded hands. 

"Well, there are many books here. All have been added by me. I'm not sure what your taste is, but there is plenty of choice in the little library upstairs." She hesitated for a bit before answering his second question. "We don't have a computer here, but if you do want to use one, I have an old laptop of Mr. Raichand. He gave it to me when he visited last year."

Luke gave her a nod, and so she showed him to the library. After making a cup of black tea for him, she went to her cabin to get the laptop. She just hoped that he wouldn't indulge in skeevy websites and get a virus or malware on it. 

"Here it is, sir" she said, placing the laptop on the table next to him as he sat in the antique armchair. "Please don't delete my files. I need them for my studies. I'll wash the dishes and head over to my cabin then, so that's goodnight from my side."

She waited for him to look up from the book he had in his hands, kind of shuffling her feet in place.

**He looked up from the book he was reading--The Epic of Gilgamesh, an interesting Midgardian long-form poem regaling the feats of an ancient king--to smile at her once more.**

**“Yes. Thank you for your assistance, Maya. Goodnight.”**

**He let his eyes linger on her just a bit longer than necessary before turning his gaze back to his book as a means of dismissal.**

**She made the palms-together gesture once more before departing, and he heard the door close quietly downstairs before he put the book down and allowed himself to breathe in the privacy of the cottage.**

**_Norns, what a day!_ ** **Things had** **_almost_ ** **gone according to plan...although now that he wasn’t headed to the “safety” of the Asgardian dungeons, he had some scheming to do. He flipped through Gilgamesh quickly, then picked out another book from the shelf, then another, then another...**

**Even he could admit to himself that he was trying to remain distracted, putting off his planning for now. The sooner he had a plan...the sooner he would have to leave. And he found that he had grown quite fond of this place.**

**_And_ ** **its caretaker.**

**He didn’t realize he had drifted off thinking about her until he awoke to the sound of birdsong and the sun streaming in from the window and onto his face, still holding the book he had been skimming.**

**He must have been more exhausted than he thought--normally, he didn’t succumb to sleep quite so easily. But as he heard the cottage door open once again, he smiled to himself.**

**Maya had returned...and he very much looked forward to their “sightseeing” today.**


	2. Out & About

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki gets to eat a hearty breakfast and see more of Palampur with Maya.

An image of Maya that we created on a piccrew doll maker:

****

* * *

**IMPORTANT NOTES**

**Bold Text** = _Loki's POV_

Normal Text = _Maya's POV_

* * *

In the morning, Maya returned to the cottage quietly, trying not to disturb the new guest. She got busy with breakfast preparation immediately, knowing that she'd have to head out to the money exchanger quickly afterwards. 

Once she had the money, she would be able to take Luke around. 

She made a quick batch of fenugreek leaf and potato paranthas for him, wanting him to taste something local. Then, putting the paranthas and tea on the table, she went to wake him up. It was 8:00AM already, and she assumed he'd be up soon. If not, she'd need to wake him up, for she needed to rush to the exchanger afterwards. 

Man, this job was too much work if she didn't end up getting tipped nicely. Asking Mr. Raichand for a raise was out of the question...

She barely knocked on Luke’s bedroom door when it opened, surprising her thoroughly. Luke stood facing her, holding the door handle firmly. His extremely tall stature made it appear as though he was looming over her.

"Oh!" She stepped back immediately, doing the  _ namaste  _ again with a cheery smile. "Good morning, Mr. Williams. Breakfast is on the table. I made an Indian flatbread called  _ ‘parantha.’ _ "

**“Good morning,” Loki said with more warmth than he’d intended, returning her cheerful smile. He felt a fluttering feeling in his chest as she nodded and headed toward the dining table; the room smelled incredible, and the flaky looking flatbreads steaming on the large platter made his mouth water. He licked his lips and sat down, grabbing a few of the paranthas and some of the brightly colored sauces he assumed were meant to be eaten with the flatbread.**

**Maya began to leave the room then, but he found he longed for her company and conversation. Before he could stop himself, he spoke up.**

**“Maya? Would you care to join me for breakfast? If you’re not busy, I’d like to ask you a few more questions about the local area.”**

**It was a weak excuse, but he hoped she would stay. It had been so long since he’d just been able to converse with someone, without pretense or having his guard up. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed it.**

Maya sat down at the table with him, liking the fact that he ate so heartily. Though, seeing him, it didn't look like he had a great appetite. Those sharp cheekbones could probably cut glass...

"Sure. What did you want to know?" she asked gently, pouring the breakfast tea for him from the kettle on the table. "I was actually headed to the money exchange centre, to get your dollars converted to rupees. But if you want, we can leave together and do it on the way to the first temple. That can be your introduction to the town's bustling marketplace."

She gave him a once over as she said that, noting that he had indeed showered and dressed up nicely. He must’ve washed the clothes overnight in the washing machine--they looked crisp and clean. She didn't want to force that awkward conversation of 'you must bathe before entering a temple' with the guests, so it was good that he was fastidious.

**“Well, first I want to know what** **_these_ ** **are,” he smiled as he took a bite of the flatbread after he’d dipped it in a translucent red-orange jelly. Oh, it was divine! Savory and sweet and spicy and several other flavors he couldn’t quite identify but that he enjoyed immensely.**

**“And then I’d like to know more about the local economy,” he said, tucking the food into his cheek to speak. Norns, his manners had really suffered since falling out of grace with Asgard. But here, he wasn’t a prince, or a king. He was Luke Williams...and it was fine if Luke sometimes spoke with a bit of food in his mouth.**

**“What is the primary resource for trade? How do the locals here make money? Are you from here? Is your family? Why are you studying agriculture - do you plan to be a farmer once you complete your studies?"**

**It occurred to him he had stopped asking about the town and had fallen into asking her personal questions. But he was curious about all the answers just the same.**

_ Uhhh... slow down a bit, will you? _

She blinked at him as he fired one question after another, confusing her thoroughly for a few moments. 

_ Ok, first things first... _

"Oh, um,  _ these _ are paranthas. A typical Indian breakfast flatbread. You're eating it with a type of pickle and chutney--a sauce." She couldn't help but chuckle as Luke chugged the tea and gobbled more of the parantha as she talked. "The economy here is mainly agrarian and tourism based. I did tell you about food grains and potatoes. But there's also fruits. And of course, tea."

She poured him more tea, getting a strange satisfaction in seeing to his needs. He was so focused on her, so she felt good about serving him. Otherwise, she hated this job quite a bit. Many a times, the guests were racist assholes who treated her like their personal slave--as if India was still under the British colonial rule and she were a bonded labourer. And of course, Mr. Raichand ignored it all, acting the part of a typical _ zamindar _ \--a landlord with old money.

Luke, however, was different. Serving him didn't feel like a chore for some reason. Perhaps, the reason was his good manners… or the fact that he was talking  _ to _ her, not  _ at _ her, treating her as an equal.

"The tourism is all thanks to the scenic beauty of this place. Not to mention, the spiritual aspect of it. The locals often become guides to the visiting tourists, if they don't want to contribute to the agriculture or tea trade."

His sharp eyes watched her carefully as she spoke, almost appearing calculating in their measured gaze.  _ This _ was one of the unsettling things about him. He was just very intense. 

Still, she continued to chatter, answering his questions as best as she could. 

"I was born in a village closer to Dharamshala. My parents passed away a few years ago. I have grandparents living in my birth village. I'm trying to make a living here so I can send them money for survival. That's how life is here. A bit harsh." She smiled sadly, remembering how much her parents had been persecuted before they died in that accident. "I'm studying agriculture because I love plants. But also, so I can get into teaching, perhaps. I'd love to be a professor in a proper, well known university. Finally get out of this sleepy town."

**Loki slowed his gorging when she talked about her parents’ deaths, and he swallowed properly before speaking this time to show his respect.**

**“I’m very sorry to hear about your parents,” he said quietly, dabbing the corner of his mouth with a napkin. “That must have been very difficult, losing them so young.”**

**He could see her closing in on herself, and he quickly decided to change the topic.**

**“So...I’ll admit, I fell asleep on the ride here. How far are we from the nearest city? I'm afraid I’m unfamiliar with this area, being from...** **_London_ ** **...”**

**He’d almost forgotten where she’d said his alter ego was from, and he hoped his stumble wouldn’t be too obvious. Perhaps some flirtation would distract her?**

**“I’m looking forward to exploring the town with you later,” he said, intentionally playing a bit coy to try and lower her defenses, but there** **_was_ ** **honesty in his words.**

Maya blushed and looked down at her hands, biting her lip self consciously. Luke was really laying the charm on her.

"As do I, sir. Baijnath is the closest city here, and it has a very old and popular temple too. We'll go there as well, by train. It'll be a nice experience." 

She served him another parantha, and their hands brushed as she did so. A strange sort spark emanated from it, making her pull away quickly.

It was that same energy she had felt in the garden, only weaker this time. It made her really suspicious of him, even though he seemed ignorant of it.

**He saw her expression change from relaxed and friendly to guarded and shy as soon as they touched. Instantly, the warm feeling in his chest cooled, and he pulled his hands back, avoiding her gaze.**

**_What am I doing? I’m not here to hit on one of the locals; I’m here to avoid painful murder via a psychopathic purple Titan or Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Or, Norns forbid, both._ ** **Even his brother--well,** **_not_ ** **brother--was against him, and that oaf never gave up on anyone.**

**Except for now. Except for him.**

**He took another bite of the parantha, his eyes unfocused.**

After the breakfast, Maya went to her cabin to fetch her satchel and guided Luke out, introducing him to the watchman. 

"This is Ramkishan, usually he's parked right at the gates, but yesterday he got caught in the rains as well." 

Ramkishan saluted Luke in his typical, almost comical fashion, showing him his half rotten teeth. "Salaam saab, goot morning!"

Maya chuckled as Luke looked at him in confusion while returning his greeting politely.

"He called you  _ 'saab' _ , which means 'sir'," she explained as they walked out of the gates. "And  _ 'salaam'  _ is a greeting in Urdu, one of the languages embedded in our culture."

Luke nodded, taking in his surroundings. On the way to the cab stand, they passed a lot of fields of wheat and even shaded areas with tall pine and Indian cedar trees. It was a pleasant walk, and for that bit, none of them talked. She was fine by it, for it gave her the opportunity to observe him. 

He walked so gracefully, almost pather-like in his quiet, measured steps. Not to mention, his walk had the confidence of someone with a regal bearing. It was quite fascinating. 

"So, would you mind me asking you what you do for a living?" she asked shyly as she ordered a cab for them and haggled with the driver. "I've told you about myself, and it's quite mundane and boring."

**"Oh..." Loki pretended to be incredibly interested in a nearby shop window as he gathered his thoughts. He took a few seconds to closely examine a basket full of fruits before turning back to her. He often found that the best lies were mostly truth.**

**"I won't deny it; I come from privilege. I was born into a royal line, and I expect I'll continue down that path until I settle into a comfortable position. Really, it's the family drama I'm trying to avoid...I've had a falling out with my parents and brother. I acted out...in fear, in anger. And I made some mistakes..."**

**Again, his gaze went far-off, but he brought himself back much more quickly.**

**"That is to say, we're not on speaking terms at the moment, and I needed to...get away. So here I am."**

She regarded him in a new light as they settled into the cab. So he was  _ royalty _ ... how strange, that he needed to come here to find peace. But it did explain his way of carrying himself, so self possessed and poised. 

"So, mind me asking which royal family we're talking about?" She turned to him and smiled reassuringly. "I mean, I know that you'd prefer anonymity, lest people find out and hound you. And I promise not to Google you."

He laughed at that, his eyes crinkling in a very appealing manner. Maya found herself quite fixated on his pretty face, much to her own chagrin. She needed NOT to fixate on him. It was bad form. He was going to go away in a few days, and she was going to remain with just his memory. 

There were so MANY Bollywood songs about this.  _ Pardesiyon se na ankhiyan ladaana, pardesiyon ko hai ek din janaa.... [Don’t get involved with foreigners, for foreigners will go away one day…] _

**"Um...for now, I'd rather not say..." Loki stalled, bringing his hands together nervously. "If anyone finds out where I am...it would be bad for me." That, at least, was the** **_complete_ ** **truth.**

**He looked at Maya with the most pathetic, heart-wrenching pout he could manage. "Please understand, I'm in a precarious position. I'm relying on some anonymity to regain a semblance of balance in my life. I don't want my problems following me here."**

She pressed her lips to avoid breaking into a knowing smile. 

"Then I assume that your name is fake as well," she remarked in a whisper, not wanting the cab driver to listen in. "But it's ok, I won't badger you about it. My sole purpose is to care for you while you stay here, and that's what I'll focus on--to serve you to the best of my capacity."

She felt her cheeks heating up again as she said that last bit, knowing that 'serving' could contain a lot of connotations. Damn, she had a way with putting her foot in her mouth.

**"Well, you've done splendidly so far." Loki smiled at her with genuine affection, choosing to let her insinuative words slide for now. He couldn't look too much into them--she was his caretaker, and he would be gone as soon as he knew where to go. Besides, he was quite enjoying his education into this Midgardian culture.** **_Especially_ ** **the food.**

**The cab pulled to a stop in a bustling town center, with hundreds of people milling about in the open air promenade. Loki opened his door and helped Maya out, as he had been taught to do in his princely training. Their chests brushed together as she got out of the car, and Loki only belatedly remembered to step away from her. That moment of sudden proximity felt so charged that he nearly lost his sense of propriety. She was so close that he could smell the alluring scent coming off her--sweet and citrusy and sharp, it was something unique to her.**

**He inhaled deeply as she slipped past him, not saying a word about the small indiscretion on his part. The only tell that she was also affected was the flush of her cheeks. It made him feel a rush of guilt, but still, he couldn’t deny that he wanted to press close to her again.**

**The cab driver shouted how much payment was owed in the native language then, pulling Loki back to reality. Though Loki could understand him perfectly, thanks to the Allspeak, he feigned ignorance as Maya paid the driver the fare, even tipping him a bit extra, it appeared. He smiled as he drove off.**

**_She's honest_ ** **, he thought to himself, following her through the crowds.** **_Though perhaps a bit too trusting...I'll have to keep an eye out._ **

**They couldn't speak much among the humming din of shopkeepers and shoppers alike, but eventually, she led him through the glass double doors of what appeared to be a financial institution. He noted the giant vault behind the wooden counter stationed with professionally dressed men and women, and the impressive security systems.**

**Well, pedantic, for him. But impressive for the surroundings.**

**Maya made her way to the counter and handed over the green bills, which were deposited in the account he overheard her say her employer used for guest expenditures. She left half in the account and cashed out the other half, the teller counting out significantly more multi-colored bills. Maya put them in her wallet and stuffed it in her satchel before leading him out of the building and back on to the street.**

**"There are so many people!" Loki commented as she pulled him through the throngs, and he was glad she knew where she was going, at least.**

Maya nearly rolled her eyes at his comment. It wasn't malicious, but she was indeed tired of hearing about India's population problem.

"Yes, well, that's most of India for you. I thought you'd find the crowd less intimidating here, for you've come via Delhi, one of the most densely populated cities in the world," she said, taking him to a cellphone showroom. "Let's buy you a phone and get out of here quickly. The rest of the town isn't that densely packed. It's just that almost everyone here is out shopping for the upcoming pre-monsoon carnival."

She went to the counter straight away, waving for Luke to follow. Immediately, the salesperson gave her his rapt attention. 

"Ek achha wala phone dikhana, badhiya camera ke sath. Sim ka offer hai kya?" she asked in Hindi, feeling Luke sidle up to her. Damn, this close proximity to him was so distracting! "Mere naam pe hi chahiye."  _ [Please show me a good phone, with a high quality camera. Do you have an offer with sim? I need it in my name.] _

The salesperson smiled upon seeing Luke next to her. "Angrezi babu ke liye chahiye? iPhone dikhau?"  _ [Do you need it for the English gentleman? Should I show you an iPhone?] _

She shook her head. "iPhone too costly, babu ko Android dikhao."  _ [No, show the gentleman an Android phone.] _

So he smiled and nodded, then went away to bring in his selection. Meanwhile, Maya tapped her fingers against the counter, sensing that Luke was getting a bit antsy and restless next to her. His forearm was brushing against her elbow, and for some reason, her breath was hitching in reaction to that simple, unobtrusive touch. It was ridiculous.

She closed her eyes for a bit and shook her head to clear it.

**The sales representative went behind a locked door to the back of the store and returned a few minutes later with a slick white box. When he opened it to show her its contents, Maya gave him a decisive nod. He then removed the device from its box, pushed a somewhat hidden panel on its side, and inserted a small plastic chip in it. Then he repackaged the device and handed it to her, while she counted out the multi-colored bills and gave them to him. Once the transaction was complete, she turned back to Loki.**

**He just stood there, somewhat dumbfounded and overwhelmed by the activity surrounding him. Having her there was a necessary point of focus, or else he may have gotten lost in the crowd himself.**

**"Where to now?" he nearly shouted, leaning forward and speaking loudly near her ear.**

Maya shivered as she felt his nose touch her ear. She pulled away slightly, knowing that her face was growing red all over again. 

"We're headed for the Chamunda Devi Temple," she replied, calling for another cab. "It's dedicated to the primordial goddess Shakti, specifically to one of her avatars. I'll guide you through it, but remember the most essential part--do take off your shoes at the entrance. And keep your palms together in prayer once we get to the sanctum sanctorum."

She tried to think over the steps one had to take during a temple excursion, so that he wouldn't make any gaffes. 

"Oh yes, and eat whatever the dude in orange or white clothes gives you--they're the priests. It's a blessing from the gods. Rejecting it would be extremely bad form and be frowned upon. It may even get you kicked from the temple if the priests get mad."

And that's how their temple visit began, with Luke looking extremely confused but eager, and Maya feeling butterflies in her stomach.

**_Well...THIS is new..._ **

**Loki exited the cab with Maya and found himself near a waterfront facing a large building that was deep red on the ground floor and white on the upper levels. The facade was covered in symbols and flags and images depicting gods and humans and the world. Small, colorful boats paddled around in the water, and he was so transfixed by the scene unfolding in front of him that he almost walked right into a large statue. Maya took his hand and giggled as he looked up at the effigy of an impressive looking ape-man dressed in a red sash, holding one hand out, palm slightly down, and the other hand holding a huge golden weapon of some kind. Probably a mace...**

**He'd been to plenty of temples in his life, even had quite a few of his own in the Scandinavian countries of Midgard...but this was** **_entirely_ ** **unlike any place of worship he had seen before. It felt strange, visiting the temple of a god from an entirely different pantheon than he knew. And again, it was absolutely** **_bustling_ ** **with people...something he may never get used to. His entire realm consisted of only a few thousand individuals, and there might well be that many people or MORE right here in this town.**

**He squeezed Maya's hand a bit tighter as she led him toward the entrance of the building, eyes wide as he took in the chaotic yet exciting surroundings.**

"Ok, just follow whatever I'm doing, and mimic it. I know that you're not Hindu, so you don't know any prayers, but just try to say thanks and ask for blessings from the goddess," she said, still giggling at his wide eyes and lost expression. 

Luke was so damn confused, but still, he tried to remain cautious and respectful. She liked that about him. He wasn't being rude or insensitive, even though she was pretty sure that he found the temple frescoes and statues quite jarring. After all, she had taken him to a temple dedicated to a deity who was fearsome and quite destructive (though protective as well).

His fascination with the sights and sounds was very amusing. 

After she bought the offerings for the goddess, they proceeded to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Maya noted that Luke was getting quite a lot of attention here. A white guy in a Hindu temple... yeah, people were judgmental. She was sure that Luke could  _ feel  _ their stares. 

"Don't bother about the stares," she said, walking closer to him, still holding his hand (trying to ignore how intimate it felt). "Just keep your focus on the goddess' imagery inside the sanctum sanctorum."

He nodded, his posture siff and lips closed in a tight-lipped smile. He was visibly quite uncomfortable, but he didn't say it. 

Once inside the sanctum sanctorum, Maya prayed with her palms pressed, hoping that Luke would imitate the gesture. The prayer was short, since other people were pushing around to get in. She didn't want them to push Luke, so she wedged herself between them and him while they paid their respects and slipped out. She grudgingly kept herself between him and others as the priests offered them the blessed fruits and sweets.

Luke took the proffered eatables, and looked at her with confusion again. She smiled, pulling him forward by his hand.

"Just eat them. They're the  _ 'prasad' _ \--food blessed by the goddess," she said, just as he began to peel a banana to eat it. "So, did you pray for anything specific? I just asked for a more peaceful and comfortable life."

**“Guidance,” he said quickly, taking a bite of the strange yellow fruit. He was grateful to have seen several other people eating it prior to his attempt, otherwise he would have just bitten into it right away. The center was sweet and soft, and it danced across his taste buds. Norns, was there any food in this place that wasn’t bursting with flavor!? He tried to hide just how amazed he was as he continued to consume the blessed food.**

**He was taller than just about everyone else in the temple, and the stares were getting a bit intense. He did his best to maintain his composure and keep a disinterested air about him, but internally, he felt exposed, an obvious outsider. His guard remained up as they exited the temple structure...but then his eyes landed on another statue outside that struck him emotionally so hard that he just stopped where he was and stared at it.**

**A blue person, sitting atop a tiger rug, with carved snakes wrapped about the base of the statue. It looked almost Jotun, but without the caste markings or red eyes.**

**“Who is** **_that_ ** **?” Loki asked Maya, still trying to wrap his head around this strange yet familiar deity. Did they know of Jotuns here?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, any guesses as to who or what Loki has just seen? 
> 
> Happy SAFE SUNDAY, everyone. We hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as we enjoyed writing it. <3  
> Don't forget to let us know your thoughts on the story.


	3. An Intimate Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki has a very pleasant (if somewhat intense) gastronomic experience with Maya. And then something goes wrong... as it's wont to do. But Maya is there to help in her own mysterious ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Safe Sunday is here, everyone! We hope you're eager for more of this story. (Recipe links for the foods mentioned are in the end notes).

**IMPORTANT NOTES**

**Bold Text** = _Loki's POV_

Normal Text = _Maya's POV_

* * *

**“Who is** **_that_ ** **?”**

"Oh!" Maya followed Luke’s gaze and grinned. "That's Lord Shiva, the goddess's husband. Husband and wife are never too far apart."

She led him to the statue and stared up at the deity with reverence. 

"They're both deities of destruction and renewal, of chaos and vitality, not to mention, sexual energy and spiritual peace." When she looked at Luke again, she found him transfixed on the statue. It wasn't a mere fascinated regard, he was looking shocked and quite perturbed. "I know, he's not like a typical Hindu God. He's very different. He lives on a snowy mountain in our mythology, and he treats all beings equally, be it humans, demons, or other divine beings. He's a great spiritual and solitary being, but he dotes on his wife and family. A man of balance."

She stopped talking when Luke didn't respond to her commentary. He was still staring up at Lord Shiva. Well, that was strange indeed.

"Sir? Is something the matter?"

**Loki knew he should look away, that he should try and carry on as normal, but the blue god in front of him had him transfixed. He could not accept the idea that an entire culture would worship a blue deity...a deity that looked so much like his** **_true form_ ** **. It wasn’t seen as monstrous and evil...**

**_A man of balance..._ **

**The words rang in his ears, and he remained there, his thoughts spinning, until Maya tugged on his arm. He looked down at her, and the concerned look on her face broke the spell.**

**“I’m sorry...” He smiled sheepishly, trying to shake off the unusual feeling that had consumed him. “This is all just so strange. I’m having some trouble absorbing it, is all.”**

**She smiled back at him, and just that small bit of compassion helped him to relax.**

**“Perhaps we should move on? I’m starting to feel a bit hungry - the blessed food wasn’t exactly filling,” he joked.**

She couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. 

"Of course, we can find something to eat. I know something that might appeal to you, since you seem to love spicy food," she said, leading him out of the temple premises. "And after that, we shall have something sweet."

Luke gave her a relieved smile, though she didn't understand what had him so unsettled. Perhaps it was the staring people. Among the shorter, darker skinned Indians, his pale and tall form stood out like a sore thumb. 

But she was confident that once he got some food to munch on, he'd be fine. 

So she took him to the nearby street vendor selling roasted corn on the cob. He was roasting them over an open flame, fanning it with a simple bamboo fan. Embers from the open fire were flying all around the roasting cobs.

"Bhaiya, zara do bhutte sek dena," she told the vendor, giving him a cheery smile. "Namak, nimbu aur hari mirchi lagake."  _ [Hey bro, please roast two corn on the cobs. And apply salt, lemon and green chili paste on it] _

As the vendor roasted the corn, she looked over at Luke and raised her hand. 

"Give me your phone, I'll take some pics of you eating corn."

**“Why would you want to take a picture of that?” He laughed, but he handed her the device anyway. The smell of the roasting corn had him drooling by the time the vendor handed over the food, and he dove into it, chomping the kernels from the cob almost ravenously.**

**Then the spice hit.**

**His eyes instantly began to water, and his tongue ignited. It felt like his face had been lit on fire, and he had to pull away and cough a bit as Maya laughed and snapped pictures of him.**

**“Oh—Maya, it’s HOT! That’s not fair!” He half-laughed, half-cried, waving air on his tongue even though it did no good. Despite the heat, the flavors were still incredible, and he forced his way through the pain to take another bite.**

**After taking a handful of pictures, Maya slid the phone back into his pocket, then began to eat her own corn much more gracefully than he had managed.**

**For several minutes, they simply sat on a low wall, eating the corn and watching the people go by, and occasionally he caught her staring at him. He simply grinned and continued to eat, feeling a different kind of heat than that of the corn spreading through his chest.**

**Was this...friendship? Infatuation? Something else? It was too soon to tell. But he was certainly enjoying it.**

**After what he’d been through, this was such a nice change of pace. This was a balm on his hurting soul.**

"Want another one?" she asked, throwing the cob away after polishing it off. 

She gave him an impish grin, knowing how the spice had affected him. His reaction to it was everything she had hoped to capture on the phone. Quite honestly, she was kind of surprised that he took it in good sport. 

Not to mention, he actually ended up liking the spiciness. He was adjusting well, for someone who, by his own confession, had made mistakes and wished to hide for a while. 

He shook his head in response, raising his hands up in surrender. That made her laugh all over again. 

"Ok, then, let's go get something sweet now. I'm sure your tongue is asking for a break." She got up and offered him her hand. "I'll make you taste an array of sweet dishes over at this sweet joint I know. I love it."

He took her hand with a smile, and together, they walked along the spiraling road to the place she had mentioned. Once there, she ordered  _ jalebi _ ,  _ rasgulla _ ,  _ gulab jamun _ and  _ ras malai _ for him. 

"Try these out first, then I'll order a cold treat--called  _ kulfi _ . It's mouth-wateringly delicious."

**Loki had always had a voracious sweet tooth, and the second he walked into the sweet shop, the smells nearly knocked him over. He was certain he looked ridiculous, with his eyes wide and scanning all the treats on display, like a literal “child in a candy store.” He had half a mind to press his face against the glass counter to get a better look at the offerings, as he had done when he had visited the confectioneries in his youth.**

**Soon, Maya presented him with a tray full of unusual looking items - small orange fried dough spirals soaked in some kind of syrup, white ball-shaped dumplings, small brown balls with sliced almonds adorning the tops, and a dish of soft-cheese looking items swimming in a rich milky sauce. She carried it to a nearby table outside the shop and put it between them as he sat, gesturing to him with her hand to “dig in,” as he’d heard it said.**

**He didn’t hesitate.**

**He tried the orange things first, then the round white things, then took a spoonful of the soupy cheese stuff, then shoved one of the brown balls in his mouth followed by another one of the white dumplings. It was** **_all_ ** **amazing - every flavor unique and inspiring and delicious. He made some unseemly noises as he continued to gorge himself, and he was grateful that Maya had given his phone back, lest more embarrassing pictures were taken.**

**He couldn’t even answer her when she asked how he liked it, his cheeks were too full. All he could do was make a muffled sound of approval before diving back in.**

Maya giggled away as she watched him devour the sweets. To be honest, he looked so damn adorable, with his cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk as he ate.

"I guess you not being able to speak is approval enough. Keep at it," she said, taking a spoonful of  _ ras malai _ herself. "I'll bring in the  _ kulfi  _ next. Then we can head over to yet another temple."

When the Kulfi was served, Luke's eyes brightened. There was no doubt that he was going to love it.

**Though he could hardly fit any more food in his stomach, the frozen treat that was brought out to them next made him forget how stuffed he was. It was a Midgardian treat he had heard about several times and had always wanted to try...** **_ice cream_ ** **.**

**He picked up the popsicle and took a bite of the frozen sweet cream, feeling it melt on his tongue - it was Valhalla! If he died right there, he would have been a happy man. The flavors were unimaginable, the cold was sublime, and the way Maya’s face lit up when she saw him eat it was the icing on the proverbial cake.**

**It was gone in less than a minute.**

**Loki licked a few errant drips of the treat from his fingers, and happened to catch Maya’s eye as he did so. Her eyes were locked on him, like she was trying to figure something out...**

**Just for fun, he winked at her, then watched to see how she would react.**

Maya blushed furiously in response, prying her eyes from him self consciously. She knew she was overreacting, and that he was only acting playful. There was nothing more to it. There shouldn't  _ be  _ anything more to it.

So, keeping her gaze averted, she focused on eating her own kulfi. 

But soon, as if she were compelled, she slowly looked back at him, and found him watching her intently, his eyes zeroing in on her lips.

Maya nearly choked on her kulfi as unbidden thoughts attacked her mind, full of intense carnality. She did not want these thoughts in her brain!

She put her kulfi down immediately.

"Do you want to have more?" she almost squeaked, trying to deflect his attention back to the food.

She didn't think that he was genuinely interested in her, only that this was just perhaps a passing fancy. She didn't consider herself ugly, but she wasn't pretty enough to attract  _ literal  _ royalty either.

**“I honestly** **_cannot_ ** **eat another bite,” Loki chuckled, truly enjoying the awkward blush he had caused to blossom in her cheeks. He didn’t remember having this much fun...ever. The food, the sights, the unusual town, the people, the** **_freedom_ ** **...and his intrepid, intriguing, adorable guide Maya.**

**With a lingering gaze, he finally let the flirtation rest, sitting back in the flimsy metal chair and resting his hand on his stomach. “I may need a nap after that excessive meal of desserts...”**

"We can head back to the cottage, if you want," she offered, paying the bill after checking the amounts quoted therein. "I mean, you're not on a hasty schedule, so you can take it easy."

As they exited the sweet joint, she called a cab once again, ignoring the flipflops of nerves and attraction in her belly. Luke was charming and all, but she had a job to do. There was no way she could do it if she kept focussing on this odd attraction she was feeling towards him.

"So... time for your decision, sir. Where do you want to go?"

**“Let’s head back,” he said, feeling relief just at the idea of getting away from the throngs of milling people.**

**He had always appreciated his personal space, and his tolerance for others was nearly at its limit.**

**“Perhaps you could show me your garden? The herbs you picked last night were quite delicious - I’d love to see what else you have growing there.”**

**_And I’d like to spend some more time with you alone..._ ** **a quiet voice said in the back of his mind, though he dared not vocalize it.**

**“We need to save some other temples for future days, don’t you think? I need some time to let today’s experience settle...such a wide and unusual pantheon of deities. It’s going to take me a while to learn them all.”**

Maya nodded, fiddling with the folds of her long skirt.

"I have a few books on Hinduism in the cottage library, if you want to read and gain more insight into it," she said, feeling a bit more relaxed now, for he was not laying the charm on so thickly. "And you're always welcome to explore the back garden. I grow lots of things there... herbs, fruits, vegetables. I'm known to have a green thumb."

He raised his eyebrows, looking at her assessingly. She didn't know what exactly was going on in his head, but it looked like he was drawing certain conclusions. Soon, the cab arrived to take them back to the village.

The rest of the journey passed quietly, wherein Luke's attention was caught by the scenic beauty of Palampur, it's meandering roads, extensive tea gardens and lush forests.

**As the cab came to a stop at the cab stand, Loki looked around and felt like he could breathe again - the population density here was much more tolerable. There were still several shops around, but nothing like where they had just been. He opened the door and exited, holding it open for Maya and extending his hand toward her to help her with her footing. The sweet blush in her cheeks was all he’d hoped for.** **  
** **  
** **_Norns...what am I doing?_ ** **  
** **  
** **She grabbed his fingers gently and lifted herself out of the vehicle, pulling on him to lean forward and stand on the curb of the street. She again paid the driver (and then some), then almost naturally reached for his hand and held it to lead him through the streets once again.** **  
** **  
** **Something about her having him follow along, as a companion, as a guide, made his heart flutter. The view of her long, glossy brown hair bouncing to her steps was the best view in the entire vicinity.**

Maya knew that she was being too forward by keeping her hand in his, but she just couldn’t bring herself to remove it. It felt nice, and she’d take all the nice stuff she could get, for now…

As they passed through the narrow mountain streets, Luke asked her about the small shops peppered all around it. Most of them were either small grocers, meat shops or gutka and cigarette sellers, and if not, they were flour mills. 

One of them was a small ‘dhaba’ restaurant, fully ‘vegetarian’ and ‘Vaishno’, as advertised on its billboard in bold letters. It had uniquely shaped hammered metal utensils sitting atop the small counter. Luke was so curious about them that he went right up to it to observe them. 

“This is not for you,” Maya said with a laugh as he eyed the pots and cauldrons, reaching out to touch them. “But if you want, we can take some pics with them. They’re made in traditional local style, with hammered bronze. I saw a few of them being made as a child back in my village.”

**“What do you mean ‘not for me’?” Loki chuckled as she positioned him in front of the pots and took his phone. “Why can’t I have one? What are they for?”** **  
** **  
** **He flashed her a charming smile as she took a picture, striving to be his most photogenic. He would have to find a way to keep these pictures when he left - it would be a happy memory, and he certainly wanted to look his best in them. And he watched her carefully to see if she faltered when he did so...he was finding it endlessly entertaining and endearing to see her reactions to him.**

Maya clicked a few pictures of him with the pots and cauldrons, and even with the little shop’s owner, who seemed very thrilled that a foreigner was interested in his odd utensils. 

Luke’s smile in the pictures was truly something  _ else _ . She wondered if he knew just how absolutely gorgeous he was. Perhaps he did, but that was not for her to consider…

As she clicked more pictures, the owner of the place then suggested to take a few of her with Luke. And just like that, she was standing next to him, close, and smiling shyly at the camera. 

She was not used to getting her pics taken, and so it was awkward at best. Plus, when Luke’s arm reached around her shoulder, it made the moment feel more intimate. 

So she suggested a more quirky route then, having both of them hold those vessels on top of their heads, like some rustic village girls. It made her giggle quite a lot to see him trying to mimic her like that, with a huge cauldron on his head. She was glad that he was willing to be a bit silly with her.

**Loki laughed along with her as they held the pots on their heads. The store owner was certainly friendly - a very jolly gentleman with an easy smile despite his...eh, unfortunate dental situation. Once he took the last shot, Loki went to take the pot off of his head--** **  
** **  
** **Something twisted the wrong way.** **  
** **  
** **He yelped and the pot fell from his grip, clanging to the ground, denting it. Loki reached up and grasped his shoulder, feeling the muscles twitch and tighten painfully underneath. He winced, rolling the flesh between his fingers, but it continued to tense and squeeze.** **  
** **  
** **That Hulk smashing must have hurt him more than he’d realized. And THEN he’d fallen asleep in a chair. A chair! And now lifting and lowering that awkward bronze vessel. No wonder his shoulders were rebelling against him.** **  
** **  
** **He looked apologetically at the shopkeeper, then turned to Maya. “Could you -** **_ow!_ ** **\- tell him I’m sorry and pay for that pot please?” he asked, feeling the cramping going through his back and up his neck.** ****  
**  
** **_Norns…_ ** **he should have stretched more.**

Maya nodded, all the humour gone from her visage now as she looked at Luke in concern. Quickly, she negotiated with the owner of the place and bought the dented vessel right then and there. 

Then, she drew close to Luke and tried to pull his arm down gently. “Stop, don’t try to stretch yourself now. Let’s go home, and I will try to see what I can do about it.”

Thankfully, he listened to her and followed her suggestion, lowering his arm fully, if a bit gingerly. 

“Did you not stretch yourself on the flight?” she asked, holding the cauldron against her hip as she grasped his hand again. 

Instead of replying, he just shrugged and made a face.

She shook her head in dismay. “No wonder you’re cramping. Your muscles and back must be in hell. Come on, let’s go.”

Together, they started walking towards the cottage, with her taking care to move slowly in order to make sure that he was ok and could keep up.

“I hear that sitting in one place can cause muscle cramps. But I know just the concoction for helping you. And I can even press the affected muscles to relieve the stress on them.”

She kept it vague enough so that it wouldn’t rouse his suspicion; the lesser he knew about her capabilities, the better it was. She could heal him without him actually being aware of it…

**Loki tried to find a manageable position as they made their way to the cottage, but the entire walk was painful. He tried not to grunt and groan too much, but his cramping muscles were truly uncomfortable. He appreciated Maya’s offer to help him - not that she** **_could_ ** **, but he decided to play along. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, after all. And the idea of her hands on his body made him tingle somewhere** **_other_ ** **than his shoulder.**

**When they finally got inside, Loki immediately went for the diwan, reclining and forcing his back to stretch out across the cushions. His face contorted in agony and he whimpered just a bit. Even after all the torture and torment he’d endured, a simple muscle cramp seemed like it should hurt less. But it didn’t.**

**Once Maya was done working on him (which he was quite looking forward to), he would focus on healing himself in the privacy of his room, where he wouldn’t rouse her suspicion. But for now...he waited to see what she had planned for him.**

Maya watched anxiously as Luke lay down on the diwan, groaning in pain. She knew that she needed to act fast, lest his pain grew even more pronounced.

“I’ll bring you something to drink,” she said, putting a cushion beneath his shoulder. “It will help in relieving your pain. Then, you’ll just have to hand yourself over to me. I know how to massage sore muscles.”

She went off to her cabin before he could respond, rushing over to her potion cabinet to retrieve the mix she needed to heal him. When she returned, she found him struggling on the diwan, throwing the cushions away in anguish. Damn, he was rather dramatic.

“Here, drink this first,” she urged, offering him the potion she had just stirred. “Drink it all, and quickly. And then get over to the armchair.”

She knew that her tone was kind of stiff and stern, but she couldn’t help it. He looked like he was about to resist her attempts to heal him.

**Loki sipped the liquid she handed him, still groaning. It had a strong peppery flavor, and at first he was quite put off by the taste; but as he continued to drain the glass, his pain seemed to lessen from a sharp cramping to a dull ache. It was quite strange...he was surprised that the concoction was actually having an effect on him, much less one** **_this_ ** **effective. He eyed her carefully as he stood and went to the armchair.**

**_What secrets are you hiding from me, little mortal?_ **

**As he settled into the armchair, Maya walked behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. At first, he jumped, expecting pain. But from her touch came a warm, soothing sensation that spread from the point of contact and went through his neck, back, and arm.**

**He was equally shocked at and grateful for the relief, but it only served to pique his curiosity further. He meant to ask her about it, but soon his words came out only as moans of pleasure as she worked his inflamed muscles, accompanied by the gentle tinkling sound of the bangles on her wrists.**

Maya compressed her lips to control her mirth. Luke was groaning non-stop as she worked on him, pressing her fingers into his hard muscles. By the Gods, he was  _ really  _ stiff.

“Feeling better?” she whispered after a while, leaning over a bit to check on him. His eyes were closed and his mouth was parted.

That was such a sensual expression that Maya found herself almost rearing back, her body giving her the telltale signals of nascent lust. But… she knew that getting distracted right now was bad form; she needed to ease his pain, not revel in his groans of relief. And so she kept working her fingers into his shoulder blades. 

“God, your muscles are like a rock. No wonder you’re having trouble,” she mumbled, going up to his neck and slowing working the knots in there. “Have you not rested at all?”

**Loki wanted to answer. He** **_tried_ ** **to answer. But as soon as he opened his mouth to speak, she hit a knot right where his neck and shoulder came together.**

**“Oooooohhhh mmmmmmm….”**

**The Silvertongue had been completely undone by her touch. He was rather impressed and certainly thankful for her skills right now, but the question of** **_how_ ** **she was doing it still confounded him. By all rights, he should barely be able to feel her massage against his Asgardian muscles, but she was honest-to-Norns** **_giving it to him_ ** **\- one of the best massages of his long life.**

**It was so good that he didn’t even notice the erection beginning to tent his trousers...he was completely taken by the feel of her touch and the sound of those clinking bangles next to his ears...**

Maya was now having trouble concentrating, for he was just moaning incoherently and not saying anything at all. It sounded awfully like something else entirely, and her ears burned in shame to even think about it…

For the next few moments, she just closed her eyes and tried to massage his stiff muscles into pliancy. She also tried to block out the sounds coming from him, well, as best as she could. The latter didn’t work. At all.

And by the time her fingers were working against his scalp, she was feeling quite hot and bothered. She just hoped that she’d be able to cool herself off after this via some distraction or the other, or else, he’d definitely know what was up with her if he got to see her burning face.

“There you go,” she said in a soft, almost raspy voice once she was done. “I hope that worked…”

Her hands were still carding through his long, dark tresses, though, absently stroking them gently, quite taken with their silkiness.

**He didn’t want her to stop. Norns help him, even as she said she was done, he kept leaning into her touch, seeking that strange, soothing warmth. It wasn’t until he nearly fell off the chair that he came back to himself enough to open his eyes and reconnect with reality.**

**“Um...wow. Maya, that was...um…”**

**He was** **_flustered_ ** **. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt** **_that_ ** **particular emotion, but as he watched a hot blush flow into her cheeks and saw her gaze flick down to his manhood for a microsecond before locking back on his face, he realized that his body was betraying him in the most embarrassing possible way.**

**Sheepishly, but with great speed, he grabbed one of the throw pillows from the diwan and covered his** **_uncomfortable natural reaction_ ** **to her massage.**

**“Eh...thank you. Perhaps I should...go shower…”**

**He started backing away toward his bedroom, feeling the heat of a blush coloring** **_his own_ ** **cheeks as he tried to get away to privacy, awkwardly hiding himself with the pillow.**

Maya stared at him with wide, somewhat unfocused eyes as he awkwardly backed into the bedroom. That pillow he was holding was doing nothing to hide his rather impressive bodily reaction to her touch.

In other circumstances, she’d have been flattered, perhaps. Or creeped out. But right now, she couldn’t even be amused at his predicament. Hers was the same.

She just nodded as he slipped into his bedroom and shut the door with a loud bang. And then she squeezed her thighs together, groaning in response, almost collapsing in the armchair that he had just vacated.

_ Shakti help her _ , she was going to be in so much trouble if she didn’t stop swooning over this man…

While Luke took his much needed shower, Maya just puttered around in the cottage, trying to distract herself with cleaning and organizing. It was as good a ‘cool off’ as she was going to get, for she simply couldn’t just run off to her cabin to play the fiddle with her bean. She had work to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave kudos and comments if you like the story. We'd love to read your thoughts on it. <3
> 
> **Recipes of the dishes mentioned so far in the story:**  
>  Hakka Noodles - https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/hakka-noodles-recipe/  
> Chicken Manchurian - https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/chicken-manchurian-recipe/  
> Vegetable Manchurian (without chicken) - https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/veg-manchurian-recipe/  
> Fenugreek Parantha - https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/methi-paratha-recipe-easy-lunch-box-recipe-with-step-by-step-pics/  
> Potato Parantha - https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/aloo-paratha-indian-bread-stuffed-with-potato-filling/  
> Jalebi - https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/jalebi-recipe/  
> Rasgulla - https://m.tarladalal.com/Rasgulla-(-Quick-Recipe)-38687r  
> Gulab Jamun - https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/gulab-jamun-recipe-using-milk-powder/  
> Ras Malai - https://www.cookwithmanali.com/make-soft-rasmalai-home/  
> Kulfi - https://www.cookwithmanali.com/malai-kulfi/


	4. Chudail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Maya try to move past the awkwardness, but then something dramatic happens... and Loki learns a heartbreaking truth about Maya’s life.

**IMPORTANT NOTES**

**Bold Text** = _Loki's POV_

Normal Text = _Maya's POV_

* * *

**As soon as Loki was alone, he exhaled heavily and threw the pillow on his bed, putting his hands on his hips and staring down at the straining fabric near his crotch.**

**“You are going to get us in trouble if you keep this up,” he chastised it in a whisper. “There is no scenario in which this can happen. So** **_stop it_ ** **.”**

**Predictably, it did not comply.**

**With a sigh, he undressed himself and turned the shower on** **_cold_ ** **, hoping the frigid water would provide him some distraction from the thoughts he most definitely** **_should not_ ** **be having about Maya - and relieving himself of this pent-up frustration manually was out of the question. The icy water hit his skin and he gritted his teeth, feeling the blood rush away from his troublesome member and back to the core of his body.**

**But it did nothing to stop his mind from ruminating about her touch…**

**He stayed in the shower for much longer than his usual reprieve.**

By the time Luke came out of the bedroom, Maya had cleaned most of the cottage with her trusty steam mop and vacuum--all bestowed on her by the  _ kind  _ Mr. Raichand. 

It wasn’t that she was very quick with those things, it was just that Luke had taken more than an hour in the shower. Rather ridiculous, but who was she to question the royalty, huh?

When he stepped out of the room, Maya simply stepped in without a word, taking her cleaning gadgets with her. She kept her eyes averted from him, for every time she even barely looked in his direction, she was reminded of how aroused he had gotten from her simple shoulder massage.

“How are you feeling now?” she asked as she plugged the vacuum in, just glancing in his direction very briefly. Damn, she knew that she was blushing again, so she quickly turned away. “Better, I hope. Umm, I need to head out again after I do your room. Nothing major, just need to buy some groceries. I’ll make dinner after I return.”

**“Yes...good…” Loki tried to turn away, to control himself. He knew this would be trouble if he even began to dabble in the idea of toying with her again as he had before.**

**Then again...she had been such a gracious host, and he did feel guilty for making her uncomfortable. No...propriety demanded that he address the situation and not let it fester. It was the right thing to do.**

**_Lo and behold, Loki of Asgard, striving to do the right thing…_ **

**He took a deep breath.**

**“Maya,” he said, intentionally trying to be as disarming as he could. “About earlier...my apologies. That was rather embarrassing. I hope it hasn’t upset you - I didn’t intend for it to happen.”**

Maya felt her cheeks glowing with heat. He was talking about… about his  _ erection! _

She wished for the ground to open up and swallow her whole. This was embarrassing…

Turning around slowly, she gave him a once over, wondering if her potion had had an adverse effect. He was standing stock still, looking very sheepish, with a red hue marking his cheeks.

Maya couldn’t help it then. She burst out laughing.

“I’m sorry,” she said between the giggles, covering her mouth with her hand to try and stop herself. “This is just hilarious. And I know you didn’t do it intentionally.”

Oh, if only he knew the truth… that she was as affected by him as he was by her simple touch. It was just that  _ her  _ reaction wasn’t overtly visible like his. The ridiculousness of it only made her laugh harder.

“Just forget about it… it’s ok, really.”

She pried her eyes from him once again then, for as her laughter was dying, her memory was just replaying his very obvious reaction to the massage again and again. It was just causing the cycle of embarrassment to repeat.

**Loki smiled and laughed with relief at her mirthful response, grateful that she had released the tension.**

**“Very well. Thank you, Maya. I appreciate your understanding.”**

**He walked past her toward the kitchen while she continued to straighten his room, getting a glass of water. This whole situation had made him very thirsty…**

**_Thirsty for her sweet cunt…_ **

**Loki nearly spit out the water. Where did** **_that_ ** **come from?! His own thoughts were betraying him…**

**He pushed them away and went back to the living room, just catching Maya as she was leaving.**

**“Oh, did you say you were going to pick up some groceries for dinner?” he asked innocently, trying to think of any topic of conversation that would steer his thoughts away from that dangerous** **_urge_ ** **he couldn’t seem to quell.**

Maya stopped and turned back to face him, thankfully feeling more in control of her body and mind now. 

“Yes,” she answered, giving him a genial smile to put him further at ease. “Did you want anything? I can bring it for you.”

As she awaited his answer, she unconsciously started to shuffle her feet. It was one of her nervous ticks, and she almost always forgot to curb the tendency to do it.

“ **Actually, I was hoping to join you on your expedition, if you’re not opposed to it,” he said softly, not wanting to make her feel put-out. “I find I’m quite fascinated by this place...I’d like to learn as much about it as I can before I go. Even just something as mundane as going food shopping intrigues me.”**

**That, and he wanted to try and make up for the embarrassment of what happened earlier with the bronze pots. Perhaps he could buy her a treat or some gift to reward her for her kindness.**

**Honestly, it was the least he could do after everything he’d put her through.**

“Not at all,” she answered gently, feeling bad that he was feeling the need to ask so carefully, as though she’d run from him at any given moment. “You’re welcome to accompany me, sir. But yeah, you may find it a bit boring.”

Shrugging, she then descended the steps of the cottage to head over to her cabin. After taking out two jute grocery bags from there, she came out to find Luke waiting for her at the gates, just chatting with Ramkishan about the pleasant weather. It was quite sweet of him, really, to engage the man in light chitchat, for she was certain that Ramkishan’s English was leaving many gaps for him to fill in. 

“Let’s go,” she said, coming up to them. “The evening market will be in full swing now. There will be fresh fish and mushrooms available. I want to get them for tonight’s dinner.”

**“Sounds delicious,” he smiled as he followed her down the road, waving to Ramkishan as he departed.**

**“Have goot day, sir! Goot day!”**

**Really, even with the language barrier, the man was charming enough. Friendly, with a bright disposition, and well versed in the local area to boot. Loki looked forward to chatting with him again sometime.**

**They strolled along the winding dirt path toward the market, some storm clouds brewing in the distance against those absolutely massive mountains. He wondered if they were the largest in this realm, their snow capped peaks obscured by the clouds, seeming to reach the sky itself. It felt comforting and awe-inspiring all at once.**

**“Maya this place astounds me…” he said off-handedly, staring off at the scenery.**

Maya followed his gaze to the massive Dhauladhar mountains--a small part of the Himalayas--which loomed in the distance. They stood there like silent sentinels, always watching, witnesses to so many changes in the land…

“It’s very close to paradise, isn’t it?” she commented as they both stopped to admire the snow capped range. “I sometimes feel that the people here don’t deserve it. They don’t even care for it. Or else they’d work harder to protect the natural beauty of this place…”

She stopped herself from going into the details of how the greed of the people was slowly eroding the environment and natural resources of the region. Luke was an outsider, and there was hardly anything he could do about it. It was mainly the responsibility of the government and the people with money and power.

“Do you know that you can paraglide from a place nearby? Just fly among the peaks and feel the cold mountain air on your face?” she asked in a swift turn of the topic. “I have been there only once, when I took some guests there. But I was too scared to do the paragliding.”

**Loki grinned, imagining her hanging up in the air, dangling from some flimsy device. No wonder she’d had second thoughts; Loki had never been much of a risk-taker himself. Just the thought of it gave him pause. But it didn’t take away from the majesty of the mountains.**

**Soon, they reached the market, which was busy but not overly so. There seemed to be a bit of an evening rush, but it gave a kind of energy to the place that he enjoyed.**

**“Show me around?” He asked playfully, leaning forward with his hands behind his back. “I’m so fortunate to have such a competent guide.”**

Maya giggled self-consciously, looking over at the fresh produce stalls. “Thank you, sir. Let’s go over there and get some mushrooms, then we can head over to the fishmonger.”

As they reached the stall, she greeted the produce seller and started picking up the stuff she wanted, pointing at the different kinds of local mushrooms on display. She did it all for Luke’s benefit, who sometimes picked up the things he found interesting. 

One of them seemed to be the Gucchi mushroom, which he just stared at in visible distaste. She didn’t blame him, for it didn't have a very attractive appearance. It looked rather like a spoilt mushroom.

When she explained to him that it was one of the delicacies of the Himalayas, he made a very funny face, as if he was appalled to know that. It made her giggle.

On the way to the fish stall, they passed a confectionary seller, and Luke just screeched to a halt there, insisting on seeing what was up for grabs.

“Nothing very out of the ordinary here,” she explained, picking up a few toffees and candies for his benefit. “Just some sweet treats. Do you want to get them?”

**“Absolutely. Let’s get at least one of each,” he said, his mouth watering at just the sight of the confectionery. He was already hungry for dinner, and he craved the sweet treats.**

**Along the top shelf was a series of lollipops that looked especially delicious. He reached out and took one that looked to be made of swirling galaxies, purple and dark blue with spots of white, covered in a clear wrapper. The one next to it was similar, but with white and pink swirls and purple speckles. He took that one as well, and handed it to Maya.**

**“A treat before dinner?” he smiled, raising a cheeky eyebrow. Sweets before a meal...now he** **_knew_ ** **he was a bad influence.**

**So much for his redemption.**

Maya couldn’t resist the lollipop. She paid for the sweet treats and then grabbed it right off Luke’s hand, tearing away at its wrapper in her haste.

“Thank you!” She giggled, speaking around the lollipop after stuffing it in her mouth. “You’re the best!”

With a spring in her step, she grasped Luke’s arm and skipped over to the fishmonger’s. By that time, Luke had his own pop in his mouth. They both looked ridiculous--grown ups eating candy like kids--but she didn’t care. Being an adult was stressful, so she was liking this moment of child-like abandon with him.

While at the fishmonger’s, she showed Luke all the locally available fish. The best thing about living in a place with lots of streams and rivers was that there was always fresh fish available. She didn’t have to wait for it, except when the off season came.

“I’m buying us some trout and umm…” She tapped her chin as she considered what she’d make for him the next day, planning out a meal that featured fish. “...Tor, I think. They’re both very delicious.” She pointed at those fish and asked the fishmonger to cut and pack them for her.

Luke simply nodded, licking away at his lollipop as he stared at the fishmonger cutting the fish for her. He seemed oddly fascinated by it, but not overly so. Well, she didn’t mind his quirkiness… in fact, she found it endearing.

“Let’s go back now,” she said once the fish was handed over to her.

Luke was still eyeing the fish, his eyebrows now raised slightly.

She paid the fishmonger and then grasped Luke’s hand again, trying to pull him away from the stall. “I’ll make us some nice Gucchi pulao and fried fish. Come on…”

**Loki carried the bags for her as they made their way back to the cottage. He noticed she had a bit more joy in her countenance as they walked along the street, looking back at him and telling him about the local sights and scenery. He loved listening to her talk - the way her words flowed off her tongue conjured images and ideas almost as naturally as himself.**

**As he listened to her stories and anecdotes, he couldn’t help but be reminded of wandering around Vanaheim with Frigga when he was a boy, navigating the winding, wooded paths and listening to her tell him about all the flora and fauna they came across. That same endearing desire to inform radiated from Maya as it had from his mother, and he found himself smiling as she enthusiastically discussed another plant along the side of the road.**

"It's called  _ Kadduva _ , and it relieves all kinds of aches and pains, and even cold and cough. I added a bit of it in the potion I gave you earlier."

She had said that bit a bit nervously, not knowing how he may react. 

But, he didn't get a chance to react, for a group of young men she was all too familiar with walked straight towards them, a few of them pointing fingers at her.

Maya grasped Luke's arm and tried to get him to change direction, but the men were quick with their steps.

"Oye chudail!" one of them called, full of hostility. "Gore ko vash mei kar rahi hai kya?" _[Hey witch, are you trying to possess and spell bind this white man?]_

Maya blanched, trying her best to stand her ground. She was really worried now. If they resorted to violence, Luke was bound to get caught in it.

"Bakwas band karo aur apne ghar jao," she said firmly, still holding Luke's hand as she stepped forward slightly. "Humko pareshaan matt karo. Ye Mr. Raichand ke guest hain." _[Stop talking nonsense and go home. Don't bother us, he's Mr. Raichand's guest.]_

But they didn't stop...

"She  _ chudail _ , bad one. She going to kill you," one of them shouted in broken English, pointing at her but looking at Luke.

"Shut up!" Maya tried to pull Luke away towards the cottage, but right at that moment, she was grabbed by two of the men and thrown to the ground. The bags of food went scattering across the dusty road.

**In an instant, Loki was on them, shoving the two men back, his outrage flaring the moment they touched Maya. All the happy feelings she had instilled in him since he had arrived fueled his rage, and he saw red as he targeted her assailants.** **_They_ ** **had called her a** **_witch_ ** **? So this magic he was sensing in her was known by others as well...and it seemed they did not take kindly to it. It was something he would have to ask about later. For now, there were more pressing matters...**

**He stood between her and them, protecting her and flexing his shoulders forward to make himself even more intimidating, despite the fact that he had nearly a foot of height on them.**

**“Back. Away.** **_NOW_ ** **.” He said slowly in English. He had understood every word and could have responded in kind...but that would have blown his cover. “I’ll only warn you once.”**

**He flexed his fist, feeling a bit naked without his daggers, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to manifest them without revealing himself. No matter...taking down a handful of human hoodlums should be easy compared to the battles he was used to...**

**He felt an excitement boiling in his blood, a slight smirk crossing his lips as he saw the men squaring up - they weren’t going to back down.**

**_So be it, mortals..._ **

Maya gasped as Luke stood up to the group. He was one, they were five! Even with his height and build, he was outnumbered.

"S-Stop," she called out, but the scuffle was already underway.

She closed her eyes and covered her face, sobbing into her hands, still on the ground, frozen in panic. Her past trauma of being accused of being evil and bringing bad luck assaulted her then, all because she knew a bit of magic...

Now, Luke would be harmed because of her. What more, Mr. Raichand would throw her out as well for attracting unnecessary trouble and problems.

Through her panic attack, she heard the men grunting, accompanied by the crunching and breaking noises. There was a lot of shouting and cursing in Hindi, and then the voices of the assailants moved away from her. 

When she finally opened her eyes, she fully expected to see Luke flat on the ground, knocked unconscious.

But that dreadful mental image turned out to be false... 

Luke stood upright. His shirt was torn in places, but he seemed to be otherwise fine. Except for his stiff, intimidating posture and his clenched fists.

**Loki had hardly broken a sweat, grinning madly at the retreating group of men. He felt his blood pumping as he had landed hit after hit on the unsuspecting attackers, pummeling them with nothing but his fists and brute strength. They hadn't expected him to put up such a fight, and he felt immensely satisfied when they realized they had been outmatched and turned tail. He had half a mind to give them a minor curse as a parting gift...but his thoughts immediately turned back to Maya as soon as the danger had passed.**

**He turned around to see her still on the dirt road, and he bent down to put the groceries back in the bags, trying his best to smile comfortingly.**

**"Are you alright?" he asked softly, quickly checking her over to see if she had any injuries. She appeared to be fine, but the terrified look in those deep brown eyes broke his heart.**

**He reached out to her, and she took his hand; he could feel her trembling.**

She clung to Luke, too shaken to feel self conscious anymore. She needed an anchor in this moment, and he was rock solid.

"Th-Thank you," she mumbled, looking up at him gratefully as she rose to her feet very unsteadily. "I thought they... I feared they'd hurt you. I'm so sorry for this..."

She grasped both of his arms then, as she nearly lost her balance again. 

"You were dragged into this unnecessarily..."

**"Shhh, shh, Maya. Don't worry about me. Let's get back to the cottage - you should rest."**

**He put the bags of groceries in one hand, then lifted her into his arms and carried her carefully back to the ornate little house.**

**When Ramkishan saw them from the gate, his usually sunny deposition faltered. “Maya! Kya hua?” he shouted, opening the gates hurriedly and taking the bag of groceries off Loki’s hands. “What happen?”**

**Loki didn’t speak until he had brought Maya inside and set her down on the diwan, with Ramkishan in tow.**

**“Some local miscreants attacked us...”**

“Joginder…” Maya mumbled the name of the leader of the group, looking down as tears still spilled from her eyes. 

She didn’t need to say more; Ramkishan understood. His usually jovial face grew enraged as he uttered some choice expletives under his breath, berating the guy she had just named.

“Nikamma kahinka,” he grumbled, patting her back as Luke disappeared into the kitchen. “Usko tumhari naukri hadapni hai, isliye ye sab kar rahaa hai. Mai Raichand saab se baat karunga.” _[He’s good for nothing. Just wants to take your job; this is why he’s doing all this. I will talk to Mr. Raichand.]_

“Nahi…” She shook her head, hugging herself, looking up at Ramkishan beseechingly. “Raichand sahab se baat matt karna, woh gussa honge. Mujhe hi dosh denge. Last time bhi mujhe hi warning di thi.” _[No, don’t talk to Mr. Raichand regarding this incident, he will get angry and blame me only. He gave me a warning last time as well.]_

Ramkishan seemed to deflate upon her recollection of a past occurrence, where Mr. Raichand had almost fired her for being the focus of trouble. And that had only been a minor harassment from a passing tourist outside the cottage.  _ This  _ was definitely more trouble than that.

“Aap wapas jao duty pe,” she suggested, just as Luke came back into the room. “Sab theek hai. Mujhe kuchh nahi hua.” _[Please go back to your duty. Everything is ok. Nothing has happened to me.]_

Ramkishan glanced once at Luke, then back at Maya. He sighed, then nodded reluctantly. “Abhi bass rest karna, ok?” _[Please just get some rest now, ok?]_

Turning to Luke again, he saluted and then marched right out of the cottage.

**Loki had returned to the living room after putting the groceries on the counter and fetching a glass of water for Maya. He had listened to her conversation with Ramkishan, and what he learned through eavesdropping, he didn’t much like.**

**When he offered her the glass, she looked immensely uncomfortable...he knew that look.**

**"Please, don't feel awkward about my getting you some water." He smiled, kneeling and handing her the glass, then waiting until she took a few small sips. "I may be your charge, but you are still worthy of compassion." She just nodded slowly in response and took another drink.**

**He let the silence stretch for a bit, but soon, he couldn't keep his curiosity to himself. "Maya...they called you a** **_chudail_ ** **, was it? What does that mean? Why did they attack you?"**

Her eyes welled up upon hearing his questions. Damn, she had been trying to avoid this kind of a situation.

Why did it have to be him?

"It means 'witch'. Some people here think that I bring bad luck and practice black magic," she whispered, clutching the glass of water tightly. "Because I can heal many ailments with my potions. And... well, two people died after I had handed them the potions for their sickness. I believe they didn't take them, but no one listens to me. They now say that I killed my parents too..."

She looked away, tears spilling from her eyes all over again. 

"I swear I haven't harmed anyone in my life... but people still come after me. This is why I want to leave this town..."

**"Oh, Maya...my dear..."**

**He couldn't help himself. He reached out and embraced her, holding her tightly in his arms, giving her as much comfort as he could with his touch. He realized it probably wasn't appropriate, given what had happened earlier in the day...but Norns, did she look like she needed a hug.**

**And she let him. He felt her lean into it, and he smiled.**

**How long had it been since he'd comforted someone?** **_Thor..._ **

**Swallowing hard, he pushed the thought from his mind. Now wasn't the time to think about that. Now was the time to focus on this poor, bullied girl who seemed to have a penchant for healing.**

**"I believe you," he said softly, speaking into her thick, wavy locks. He was suddenly reminded of just how good she smelled - like honey, incense and lemongrass. It took him a moment to regain his train of thought. "You don't seem like you could harm a fly. And you've been nothing but kind to me. I'm so sorry you've had to deal with this..."**

She held onto him... despite the inner warnings to not do it. He was so gentle and soothing... she couldn't help herself.

She took all the comfort she could from his embrace.

"Thank you," she mumbled into his shoulder. "Please don't mention this episode to Mr. Raichand. He wouldn't appreciate the drama caused by a scuffle."

Pulling away finally, she wiped her cheeks and looked into his beautiful eyes. They were full of kindness and compassion, but still, ever so intense.

"Your shirt... it's torn. I can sew it."

**He knew she had said something about his shirt, but the words were lost. As soon as she met his eyes...he felt an uncontrollable urge. His gaze lowered to her lips, then back up to her eyes...then back to her lips...**

**He leaned forward, nuzzling the tip of her nose with his, giving her the opportunity to back away...**

_ Oh.... _

In that short moment as he leaned forward, time seemed to stop for Maya. She knew she needed to retreat; it was the wise thing to do...

But she just couldn't move away. 

When his nose nudged hers, she was done for. Her lips trembled, so afraid of what was about to happen. But also, so eager. The anticipation of a kiss was heady. She was helpless against it.

His lips met hers softly, silently asking for permission, giving her room to reject it. Maya sighed against them, pressing her lips to his, letting him know that she wanted it.

Against all good sense she wanted it. Wanted  _ him… _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Safe Sunday became Safe Monday, but it's here nonetheless. :P
> 
> Please share your thoughts with us through comments, and leave kudos if you liked the chapter. That's the only way we get feedback on our writing. <3


	5. A Kurta & A Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, let's find out what happens now, after that juicy, forbidden kiss...

**IMPORTANT NOTES**

**Bold Text** = _Loki's POV_

Normal Text = _Maya's POV_

* * *

**The kiss was soft, probing, tenuous. She allowed it, she encouraged it, and before he knew what was happening, he was swept up in it. His fingers came up to her scalp and laced through her hair, holding her gently as though afraid that she would evaporate in his arms if he went too quickly.**

**_Oh gods of gods, what am I doing?_ **

**This wasn't supposed to happen. He was an intergalactic fugitive, there was nothing he could offer her other than his empathy and compassion. He could only offer her THIS moment...beyond that, there were no guarantees. He would be gone and out of her life in the blink of an eye, and it was wrong to get** **_this_ ** **involved, to tie himself in her heartstrings and let her become entangled in his.**

**He didn't stop.**

**Every time their lips came together, he felt a thrill run down his spine. He hadn't been this intimate with anyone since Asgard, long before his fall from the Bifrost. It was overwhelming and heady. It made him feel elated and terrible all at once. He knew this would lead to hurting her, to hurting himself.**

**Still...he didn't stop. He couldn't.**

**She had him.**

**At least for now...she had him.**

It happened so fluidly, she was unable to stop. His lips were addictive, and she wanted to forget everything... it worked just fine that he couldn't seem to stop either. They were both drowning in the kiss, tongues exploring, hands grasping, bodies pressing together through layers of clothes. 

Tears still slipped from her eyes, but she didn't even notice them. She was simply wrapped up in Luke. Just for this moment, everything was fine. Everything was beautiful and perfect.

She fell asleep before she could part from him, and that was how she woke up the next morning--cuddled up to Luke, her face tucked against his chest. 

She blinked in confusion, hearing and feeling the deep breaths against her hair. 

_ Oh... oh no... _

They had both fallen asleep on the diwan, still kissing and cuddling. And now, as the early morning light filtered through the long windows of the drawing room, she felt terribly self conscious about it. 

What if he thought her easy? Would she just let him do more, just like the kissing and cuddling?

This was all horribly irresponsible, especially considering her job. If Mr. Raichand got to know, she'd be toast. If word got out, she'd be persecuted even more than before. Indians, especially small town ones, were extremely conservative. None of the people here matched her liberal thought process. 

Luke would go back to his life of royalty, and she'd be stuck here still. The chasm of differences between them was too wide and deep, and there was no closing that gap. 

Spurred by these thoughts, she pulled away from Luke and got up from the diwan, knowing that her movements were bound to wake him up. She simply hurried out of the cottage and ran to her cabin before he could call her. 

Despite what happened last night, she still had a job to do. Still had to freshen up and make breakfast. Still had to clean and dust... she couldn't ignore that. She would eventually have to talk to Luke about it, but for now, she simply wanted to take a shower and do her job...

**Loki felt Maya leave his arms and get up off the diwan, even though he was only half awake. She had drifted off last night as he stroked her back and hair, unable to bring himself to move her once she was breathing steadily; and, once again, sleep had snuck up on him. Perhaps it was the long-sought comfort, or the warmth of her body, or the sense of calm he felt in this place...regardless, it all conspired to make him slip into unconsciousness.**

**But the urgency with which she left his embrace and the cottage had him confused. Had he done something wrong? He had been hesitating, and gentle. He had let her set the pace. He had focused only on making her feel better...was there still more he was supposed to do? Or had he done too much...**

**Norns, it had been so long since he’d done anything like this! And with the trauma he’d experienced between then and now...he felt completely uncertain about his behavior...**

**So he sat up, rubbed his eyes blearily, checked the wards to make sure they were still in place, then stood and went to the kitchen looking for something warm to drink. Perhaps some of that tea...**

**He would just have to wait for her to return, but in the meantime, his thoughts spun.**

Maya returned to the cottage after a long, refreshing shower, wanting to get the breakfast going as soon as possible. If she kept herself occupied, then she'd have less to think about. 

But those plans screeched to a halt as she entered the kitchen through the back door. Luke was there, looking confused and worried, and still wearing his torn shirt.

Damn, she remembered that he hadn't brought luggage, so he did not have another one...

"You need more clothes," she said without preamble, almost facepalming at her business-like tone. She softened it immediately, for she didn't want to seem rude. He had helped her yesterday, no matter what happened afterwards... "I mean... your shirt is torn. And it would be unseemly to keep wearing it."

He did not respond, instead, he stared at her really hard, almost penetrating her soul with his blue-green gaze.

She approached him slowly, wringing her hands together, feeling terribly self conscious and nervous.

"Sir... I...." she tried to begin, but couldn't make up her mind about what exactly she would say. "I... last night... I'm not like that. I don't do that. I... I don't get involved with the guests like that."

Damn, it all came out muddled and broken...

**“No...no, it’s my fault...” Loki fidgeted with his tea cup, finding it difficult to maintain eye contact. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”**

**All that royal training for manners and etiquette seemed to fail him at that moment. Yet again, he found himself feeling less like a king and more like a man - a fallible, imperfect man who was just trying to figure things out as they happened.**

**He looked down at his dirty, wrinkled, torn shirt, then sighed, setting his cup down on the counter.**

**“You’re right about my attire. I need some new clothing. Is there a shirt in the cottage I can borrow so we can go— so** **_I_ ** **can go shopping? I mean, that is...** **_we_ ** **can go, if you want, but if you don’t—that is to say—“**

**_Nice work, Silvertongue.._ ** **. he scolded himself in his mind. The self-deprecating wince was too quick to stop.**

Maya looked down and smiled at his slipping but earnest words. He was almost as awkward as she was, if not more.

"It's ok. But... I think we both need to be more cautious and wise," she said sadly, finally gathering enough courage to meet his eyes. "We are both from very different worlds. You will have to leave, eventually, and I... I know I can't leave. There are just too many complications, and we just don't know each other that well."

What she truly wanted to say was that she knew that people like him didn't take people like her along with them. That just did not happen, and it would be foolish to hope that a guy she only knew for a day would take that step. He would go back to his world, and she'd still struggle here. There was no future to their... whatever this strange attraction was. 

After a beat passed, he swallowed thickly and nodded, looking very sheepish and sad. She tried to gather her thoughts, to see how she could make things normal between them.

"I don't have any men's clothes here. Whatever of Mr. Raichand's I had is gone now, taken by other guests. So... I can go to the town centre and get you some clothes if you want," she said, continuing with the topic of clothes. "I mean, I sew my own clothes, so I'm good with measurements."

**“Are you certain you feel safe going alone?” he asked, trying to hide the anxiety in his voice. After that incident yesterday, he didn’t feel nearly comfortable letting her wander around this place unprotected. Though she’d lived here by herself for a long while now and he was certain she could handle herself, especially in the daylight...letting her run his errands unaccompanied felt wrong.**

**“Perhaps the gatekeeper can go with you, just to ensure those hoodlums don’t try anything else.”**

**Just then, there was a firm knock on the door. Both Loki and Maya turned and looked toward the entrance, then back at each other with worried expressions. Maya stepped away and went to answer it, while Loki remained in the kitchen, listening carefully.**

Maya went to get the door hurriedly, wondering who would come here at this time. What more, who would Ramkishan allow to enter just like that?

When she opened it, she was startled to see the local Police Station House Officer (SHO) there, swinging his baton around, trying to look threatening. 

He just looked like an imbecile. 

"Oh, Singh sahab," she uttered, giving him the formal greeting of namaste. "Kaise aana hua?"  _ [Oh Singh sir, why the visit?] _

She knew the reason he was here. She just knew it... but she had to act surprised. She knew this man well, and she knew she had to deal with him on a personal level. Like she had done in the past. 

The officer raised his eyebrow, as if calling her bluff silently. "Koi gora aya hai yahaan?"  _ [Has a white person come here to visit?] _

Maya smarted at his pointed question, but she tried to move along with the conversation, still keeping a smile on her face. "Haan, Mr. Raichand ke guest hain. Bas parso hi aye hain." _ [Yes, he's Mr. Raichand's guest. Arrived day before yesterday only.] _

The SHO hummed and stepped inside, not asking for permission at all. She had to step aside quickly to let him in, and she hoped that Luke would remain in the kitchen only. The officer looked around in the sitting room, casually surveying it. 

"Tumhe pataa hain hum yahaan kyun aye hain," he said, turning around to face her when he had looked around enough. "Tumhare gore ne  _ kaand  _ jo kiya hai kal." _ [You know why I'm here. Your white guy was involved in an incident yesterday.] _

Maya pursed her lips and shook her head. "Unhone nahi kiya, sahab. Wo Joginder aur uske saathiyon ne mujhpe hamla kiya tha pehle. Apko toh pataa hai woh kaise log hain. Mujhe pehle bhi tang kiya hai..." _ [He didn't do anything. It was Joginder and his cohorts who attacked me first. You know how they are. They've troubled me in the past as well...] _

He nodded, looking down at his baton. "Hmm... to tumhare gore ne unhe itna peeta ki unme se do ki haddi-pasli tut gayi? Kya hai woh? Bruce Lee? Jackie Chan?"  _ [So your white guy pummeled them so much that their bones broke? Who/what is he? Bruce Lee? Jackie Chan?] _

Maya almost laughed at his comment. But damn, Luke broke their bones? What the hell...?

"Nahi, sahab. Bas mujhe bachana chah rahe the woh. Self defence tha. Please, unki galti nahi hai. Baat ko samajhiye zara. Mr. Raichand upset honge ke unke guest ko case mei involve kar liya."  _ [No, sir. He only wanted to protect me. It was self defence. Please, it's not his fault. Try to understand what I'm saying. Mr. Raichand will be upset at this... that his guest was dragged into a case.] _

The officer sighed. "Hum cooperate karne ko tayyar hain, Maya ji, but aapko pataa hai ki uski ek price hai."  _ [I'm willing to cooperate, Ms. Maya, but you know that it comes at a price.] _

This was the point she had been waiting for. She really wished that he wouldn't beat about the bush so much. "Tell me the price then..."

She paid him as soon as he quoted the amount, and then she tried her best to send him off to threaten Joginder and his gang, as per her wishes. She was glad that Luke couldn't understand Hindi, or else, he'd likely be quite disturbed by how things worked here. That it was easy to buy the cooperation of the police...

When she returned to the kitchen, he was still standing next to the kitchen stone, a baffled expression on his face. If she didn't know any better, she'd think that he had eavesdropped and fully understood her interaction with the police officer.

**He’d overheard** **_everything_ ** **\- the way the officer had presented the situation, saying he had broken bones in his altercation...that wasn’t true! He hadn’t seriously harmed any of them!**

**And then the obvious bribe...oh, it made his blood boil! Was that how things were done here? Corruption and lies? This kind of behavior was reserved for the seediest of spaceports, not a charming rural village on Midgard! Did these people have no honor?**

**No. No, apparently they did not.**

**And poor Maya, handling it like just another insult after literal injury. Had he not been trying to keep himself undercover, he would have gone out there and given that officer a piece of his mind, in perfect Hindi, just to scare him off.**

**By the time Maya returned, he was doing his best to get his seething rage under control so he could off-handedly ask, “So, who was that?”**

Maya didn't want to scare Luke, so she chose to lie. "Oh, no one important. Just someone who sells me some local goods. I shooed him off today."

Ugh, bad lie, but it would have to do.

"So... while I was dealing with him, I had an idea. Hear me out," she said, changing the topic immediately so that he wouldn't dwell on the issue of the morning visitor. "I have some cotton cloth with me at the cabin, and I can sew you a... umm... kurta--a traditional Indian top. I had bought it to sew something for myself, but I'm not covetous of it."

She turned around and began to wash her hands, very aware of the way he was staring at her, almost in an accusing way. As if he could detect her lie. 

"I'm thinking of making aloo and poori--I mean, potato stir fry and deep fried flatbread for breakfast." She gave him a totally fake smile as she put the potatoes on boil in a pressure cooker. "I make it a bit spicy, but not as spicy as that corn on the cob you had yesterday. I'm sure you'll love it. It's one of my favourite comfort foods. Kind of unhealthy, but lovely nonetheless."

Here she went, babbling to keep the conversation going. She was still so nervous about the policeman's visit...

"So we'll have breakfast first, then I can sew you that kurta. If you want, that is. Or else I can go and shop for you..."

**Loki wasn’t entirely sure how to respond. He was both furious and nervous, trying not to let on that he knew she was lying. She was doing it to protect** **_him_ ** **, after all...**

**He let her keep rambling as he gathered his thoughts, gripping the granite countertop to try and focus his rage away from his expression. With a deep breath, he tried to let it go.**

**“I would take you up on making me a...** **_kurta_ ** **, is it? Then we can shop together - I have a particular style, and I’d like to be there to select my own clothing. Not that I doubt your taste.” He grinned and gave her a relaxed smirk when she turned to him, and she smiled in return. A bit of that easy friendship had returned to their banter, and he was grateful for it.**

**The rest of the morning passed uneventfully. She cooked the breakfast dish, which was just as delicious as everything else he had tried. Then, while she went to sew the kurta, he removed his dirty shirt - preferring to be bare chested over wearing the soiled garment - and went to explore the back garden.**

**As he wandered among the plants, he was somewhat surprised to feel a recognizable tingle of magic coming from them. It was faint, and different from the other kinds of magic with which he was familiar, but it was most certainly there...**

**_Perhaps she is more of a witch than she’s letting on..._ ** **he thought to himself, wondering how he could test his hypothesis without arousing her suspicion...**

Maya was quick with sewing. Her trusty little sewing machine ran smoothly as she paddled away and ran the cloth into perfect lines. 

Taking Luke's measurements had been a bit tough, for he was so tall. And all that close proximity with him had made her head spin for a bit. Still, she knew she had a job to do, so she pretended not to be affected. He was just a man... there were many in the world.

However, her charade of pretending really broke down once she took the finished piece to him. 

She found him wandering in her garden, shirtless and almost glowing in the sharp sunlight. His body was like marble sculpted by Bernini. For a few moments, she just stood frozen in her place, the kurta in her grip almost forgotten as she ogled this beautiful man. 

Damn... Shiva help her, but how would she be able to resist THIS? And that too, knowing that he wanted her... 

And he was caressing her plants in a way that was sending tingles down her spine. She could feel it in her bones...

"Umm..." Her tongue failed her. "The... the... cloth."

What? What was she saying? 

He turned around to face her, giving her that typical assessing look of his. 

"K-Kurta?" she tried again, her eyes wide and dazzled. "I completed?"

**Loki walked toward her slowly, eyes watching her carefully. She looked agog - which gave him no small amount of satisfaction. Despite their awkward morning, it was clear that the feelings of need were still there...on both sides.**

**But now there was a new fascination. He may actually be in the presence of a** **_real_ ** **Midgardian witch, which interested him almost as much as this unique and strange culture. As he took the shirt from her, their fingers brushed, and he grinned at the blush that came to her cheeks as she turned away to try and hide it.**

**With one last quick smirk, he pulled the kurta over his head, letting it fall from his shoulders and straightening the fabric. It was light and comfortable, and it fit him perfectly. She really was a woman of many talents.**

**“Thank you,” he said coyly, then he put his arms out wide, modeling it for her. “How do I look?”**

_ Beautiful... _

"Very good. Very smartly dressed," she mumbled, biting her lip to control the sudden burst of lust that had taken ahold of her. "I think Indian clothes suit you. You should get more. Or let me make you more, since you're planning to stay here for a while..."

Well, she certainly hoped he stayed for long. It was selfish and stupid, but damn, he was a great sight to behold. And not just that, he was also sharp minded and caring. He had protected her, after all. She'd always be grateful for that. 

"So, why are you out here? This is my garden, as you can see, teaming with plant life. I take good care of them."

**“Yes, I can see that,” he said with a slight grin, bending down and caressing the leaves of one of the plants that was giving him a rather strong sense of magic.**

**“I’m out here because I’m unfamiliar with most of these plants. This one is interesting - I haven’t seen it before. What is it? How do you use it?”**

She shivered again when he touched that violet flowered plant. That was so strange! This was the first time something like this was happening. People touched her plants all the time, and it didn't affect her like this. 

But... she had imbued her plants with a preservative magic. Would that have something to do with it? 

She looked up at Luke sharply, her eyes slightly narrowed. He had a pleasant expression on his face. Nothing suspicious...

"That's  _ vatsanabha _ , or Indian aconite..." she replied, her eyes lowering to his fingers, which were still caressing the plant. "It helps in reducing fever... please don't touch it. It's... umm, sensitive."

**He took his hands away quickly but gently, seeing her reaction and grinning knowingly. There certainly was** **_something_ ** **going on...**

**He reached over to another plant, one that looked sturdier than the first. As he touched its leaves, he kept a surreptitious eye on her.**

**“And this one?”**

"Shatavari..." She moved with him, now full of nerves. "It's a tonic for the female reproductive system. But... well, I can treat some other ailments with it as well."

Damn, he caressed that plant too. Why was he doing this? And why was it having such an impact on her?

"Please don't touch it, it has thorns," she warned, hoping that he'd back off. But he didn't. "Sir..."

Suddenly, she felt a strong tingle in her spine, and she nearly lost her balance as a result. Inevitably, she grasped Luke's arm and leaned against him. 

The tingle only grew stronger. 

"What...?" she mumbled in confusion, her eyes fluttering. This was almost... almost  _ orgasmic _ ...

**Loki caught her easily, holding her with one arm as she trembled against him. He wondered if he should act more concerned, but the mischief of it was hard to resist. He reached for another plant, one without thorns, and ran his fingertips along its stem, feeling her shudder and give a small moan as he did so. He raised an intrigued eyebrow as he watched her reaction.**

**“What about this one? You seem to have quite a connection with your garden...”**

"I... don't touch them, please," she whimpered into his chest. "I told you not to!"

She tried to push him away, but she felt so weak in the knees. And his proximity was only making this strange tingling worse. 

"I... I don't know how you're doing this, but I know you are!”

He chuckled. Chuckled at her!

What was he? Who was he? What was going on?

She was losing control of her power, and of her plants. Something weird was at play. Perhaps he was also like her... but how? She had never met another witch, well, except for her mother. 

"Ok stop!" she cried, just as the pleasure grew tenfold.

Her legs gave out completely.

**Loki scooped her into his arms as her legs gave out, cradling her as she panted. This was too much, he knew, but his enjoyment and excitement overpowered his common sense. She was channeling magic and he had caught her in the act. It was a risk, he knew...letting on that he knew what she was. His thoughts and his words warred.**

**“I knew there was something special about you...” he muttered softly, pulling her close to his body.**

**_Loki, stop..._ **

**“I knew it from the moment you brought those herbs in that night...”**

**_What are you doing? STOP!_ **

**“You’ve got magic in you, don’t you?”**

**He whispered darkly, toying with her like a cat toys with a mouse. He grinned almost manically at her, expecting her to relax and admit that he had found her out. Assuming she would feel relieved not to have to keep her secret with him. Wanting her to open up and tell him more.**

**Until he saw the utter terror and shock in her face.**

**_Oh SHIT..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Safe Sundays FTW. 
> 
> We're loving the influx of comments and kudos, dear readers, and it's warming our hearts over the approaching winters. We'll try to respond to them as and when we can, but know this, we love each and every one of them dearly. Thank you for showing this story such immense love. <3
> 
> **NOTE:**  
>  Recipe for the breakfast dish mentioned in this chapter-  
> Aloo and Poori - http://www.tasty-indian-recipes.com/indian-breakfast/dry-aloo-poori-recipe/


	6. Magic Shared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, Maya is freaking out... let's see if Loki can do some damage control.

**IMPORTANT NOTES**

**Bold Text** = _Loki's POV_

Normal Text = _Maya's POV_

* * *

"Please don't hurt me," she squeaked, still trembling from whatever he had done to her. 

She didn't know anything about him, but here he was, exposing her power like a nerve. And she was terrified. 

All her life, she had tried to keep it hidden, and this man exposed her within two days of coming here. She didn't even know what he'd do with this knowledge. She just knew that he was more powerful and capable than her, and that he had just proved it to her. 

"Please!" She began to struggle in his arms, wanting to get away from him. He simply held her  _ that  _ much tighter. "No!"

  
  


**“Wait! Maya, I’m sorry! That’s not what I—** **_CALM DOWN!”_ **

**Right as he shouted, she squirmed out of his grip and began to fall. Norns, he was such a fool! He let his enthusiasm cloud his judgement - he should have known that she would be frightened!**

**But he couldn’t let her be hurt.** **_He_ ** **couldn’t be the one to hurt her.**

**And so, before he could think it through or stop himself, he cast his seidr underneath her before she landed on the dirt. With a swirl of wind and gold...he caught her.**

**She stared up at him, floating several inches over the ground, and he locked eyes with her gravely, hoping she wouldn’t scream.**

"Wha...." She stared at him in surprise as she floated in the air. 

This was not something that she could do. He really  _ was _ powerful. 

"What are you? Why...?" She was so confused, and still, very much terrified. Her life was literally in his hands now. "Did you lie to me about being royalty?"

**He reached down slowly and helped her back to her feet, allowing his seidr to dissipate once she was solidly upright. He continued to gently hold her hand, even after she’d regained her balance, rubbing his thumb along the soft skin of her wrist.**

**“I didn’t lie about that...” he said softly, finding it difficult to meet her eye, mostly because he knew that if he looked at her, he’d want to kiss her again.**

**And this wasn’t the time...**

**“But there’s a bit more to me than that, as you can see. As there is to you...”**

Her heart slowly calmed as he held her, talking in that gentle, soothing voice...

"I've never met another person like me... not that you're much like me, you're way more powerful," she murmured, looking at him in a new light. "But I did feel this inexplicable pull towards you. Were you doing it deliberately?"

Her body was still trembling, but her fear was slowly dissipating. He would've hurt her by now had he wanted to. He hadn't...

  
  


**“No, not deliberately. But I did cast a protection ward when I first arrived, while you were in the garden. That was when I first realized you might be sensitive to magic. And then here, in the garden...your plants carry it as well. It’s not hard to see if one knows what to look for.”**

**Finally, he dared to look at her, feeling that tingling of magic where he touched her, noticing that she was sending it back to him with some decent amount of control. As their gaze locked, his eyes narrowed with curiosity.**

**“How did you learn? Who taught you?”**

"My mother," she replied, her cheeks heating up under his sharp regard. "I work with plants. I can understand what a plant chemical can do, and then use it to heal people. But I have to hide, because everyone accused me and my family of practising black magic."

She gave him a weak smile. 

"I know magic, but not enough to protect myself, apparently."

**“That you know magic** **_at all_ ** **is a feat in itself,” he said, giving in to the urge to lace his fingers with hers, still longing to feel the tingle of energy between them. He wondered if she felt it like he did...he hoped so. Though he had interacted with plenty of magical beings in his life, her energy signature was unique. Faint, yet with a strong undercurrent that hinted at greater power. It fascinated him to no end, and he wanted to know more, now that they were being open about their abilities.**

**Well,** **_she_ ** **was being open. He still needed to maintain his ruse. But perhaps he could help her while he was here, leave her better prepared and more adept to take care of herself so she could realize her desires.**

**It was the least he could do for having to lie to her about who he was...**

**“You mentioned you make potions?” He asked, grinning widely. “Would you show me? It’s a speciality of my mother’s as well.”**

“Oh, your mother’s a witch as well? Wow...”

Now that she was feeling more and more relieved and comfortable with him, she felt like she could share this part of her with him. He already knew that she was a witch. He was one, too, as was his mother, apparently. So there was no harm in showing him...

"Ok..." She smiled back, feeling shy all over again. "I've never shown this to anyone. You're the first. Come with me to my cabin."

They walked to the cabin slowly, sneaking glances at each other as they did so. She felt strangely giddy and excited. She shared a secret with this man now. It was the string that connected her to him. 

Once inside the cabin, she took him to the basement and showed him her 'lab'. She had lots of plant samples here, all kept hidden from everyone. Including Mr. Raichand.

She collected the leaves from a few samples and put them in a large bowl. Then, she raised her hands and concentrated on them, scanning their qualities and guiding their chemicals. Her palms began to glow, and the plant samples grew illuminated as well. 

Slowly, the leaves grew darker in colour, and then formed a liquid. 

She took a deep breath as she felt her energy transferring into the potion. After it was done, she finally turned to face Luke.

**Loki’s smile widened as he watched her work. She was truly adept with her plants! Even Frigga couldn’t cause her samples to simply liquify upon command, without even touching them! Perhaps the Midgardian magic he’d assumed was gone had simply concentrated itself into fewer people, and Maya was one of those lucky few.**

**“Very impressive!” He chuckled, getting closer to inspect it more thoroughly.**

**The potion smelled strongly of earthy, spicy herbs, and he could feel the energy roiling within it.**

**“What does this one do?” He asked with perhaps a touch too much childish excitement. But magic was his interest, it always had been. And he never expected to find someone to talk about it with here!**

**As he leaned over the concoction, his hand unconsciously rested on her lower back, pulling her closer to him. The tingling energy became more powerful...but he couldn’t tell whether it was him or her that was causing it.**

Maya felt him leaning closer... felt his hand on her lower back... and it was just so heady that she didn't resist it. She was unable to pull away.

"It's a simple one. For headache," she replied, pouring the potion into a small bottle, her hands having a slight tremble of excitement to them. "I'm the most regular recipient of it."

She handed it to him, shivering as their hands brushed. 

"Are you still teasing me with your power?" she asked, looking up at him as the energy flowed in a more pronounced manner between them now. Was it deliberate? Or... "I... it's making me tingle all over. Like I’m full of static."

**Loki hadn’t realized how openly he was sharing his power. He gently pulled it back, though he hated to do it. Something about letting their energies mingle felt...good. Right. Important.**

**“Is that better?” He asked honestly, keeping his hand on her back all the same.**

"It's not a bad sensation at all," she replied, leaning into him unconsciously, chasing that tingle. "I... I didn't mean it like that."

She couldn't help herself as she looked up at him. His eyes, so deep and intelligent, were calling out to her. It was crazy, how she left like she was caught in the storm of their ocean green. 

"Sir... we're being unwise, but... I can't help but be attracted to you," she confessed, blushing furiously. "Will you kiss me again? And let that magic flow? I want to feel it... just once--"

**He didn’t hesitate; his lips were on hers before she was done speaking.**

**Now that their secret of magic was out in the open, now that she knew he understood her abilities...Loki was tired of resisting the urge to act, tired of tentatively feeling around her energy and her emotions. He** **_wanted_ ** **her, and he knew she wanted** **_him_ ** **.**

**When else might he have a chance to be this intimate with someone again...especially once Thanos or the Asgardians or the Avengers got their hands on him? Why hold back any longer?**

**Arriving here wasn't an accident. He had asked the Tesseract for** **_safety_ ** **, and here she was. One of the only magic-wielding humans on the planet. It couldn't be coincidence.**

**As she wrapped her arms around his neck, that tingling energy grew in intensity and exploded through them. He gasped - he could now distinctly** **_feel_ ** **her personal energy signature, different from his own - softer, more subtle, and yet strong in a different way.**

**_Incredible._ **

Maya gasped against his mouth as she felt that magical energy surge between them. It was almost  _ electric _ , and she couldn't help but moan in response.

Luke had all but lifted her up off the floor, holding her tightly by the waist. Slowly, as his tongue aggressively explored her mouth, his hands inched lower. And lower. Until he grasped her ass and hoisted her up further. She shuddered, squirming against him as their kiss grew into something much more intimate and sexual. It was uncharted territory for her, with only instinct guiding her forward. Still, there was no resistance from her.

Slowly, as her legs flailed in the air, her slippers fell off. She felt her already full blown blush spreading down her neck as he squeezed her ass. This was the first time she was being so reckless, and it was so damn thrilling.

**Loki wasn't thinking anymore. He was in the moment, feeling, pulsing, yearning. The energy flowed between them, the delicious push and pull of it driving him forward, urging him to touch her and take her and enjoy her...to let her do the same to him. He opened his eyes just long enough to find a bare space against the wall, and he pressed her up against it, thrusting while her legs fell open around him. He used the wall to give him the leverage he needed to free his hands and work feverishly to remove her panties.**

**He didn't know which was more compelling - the feel of her body against his, the flow of their magic, or the absolute amazement that any of this was happening. It was so far beyond anything he had expected, and it all overwhelmed him. He was losing himself to it, hearing her moans and joining them with his own, their voices resonating off the stone walls of her secret hideaway.**

**No one could find them here. Not his enemies, and not hers. It was just them, the magic, and their desires.**

Maya was done for. She was against the wall, sandwiched between it and Luke, and he had just removed her panties. 

_ Oh god... oh god... _

She kept squirming in his grasp as his hand reached between them, slipping under the folds of her long skirt. His touch was sure and deliberate, pressing against her slick centre, causing her to arch her back. 

" _ Sir, _ " she called between his heated kisses, just as his fingers breached her. "Oh… oh damn!"

He kept kissing her for a while, groaning into her mouth as his fingers worked her into a frenzy. It was such a delicious sensation, so unlike the pleasure she would often give herself. It was severely affecting any rational thought she might’ve had about this.

**Loki slowed just long enough to free one of his hands. Still breathing heavily, he closed his eyes and drew his focus quickly, calling his seidr and casting a protection ward over her cabin, ensuring that they wouldn't be interrupted.**

**Then he went back to kissing her just as voraciously, returning his hand to its previous task.**

She felt that familiar magical spike around her... and just like that she knew that he had cast a spell. The vibration of magic that had initially unsettled her was now something pleasant and soothing. Reassuring even. 

As his fingers slid into her sex again, she gave herself over to him, moaning loudly, her body trembling in need. 

Her hands linked around his neck once again, and she just hung onto him for life as he worked her body dexterously. When it became almost unbearable, he pulled away and began to work on the zipper of his pants. Then, he paused and smirked, simply dropping his hands just as a golden glow overtook his entire form. 

Maya gasped in surprise at his sudden nakedness.

She stood against the wall, panting, feeling her lips throb due his intense kisses. She knew they were going to puff up soon, if not already. 

"Bed," she said shakily, her eyes drawn to his manhood, which was looking eager and quite intimidating, swollen to full mast. " _ Please _ ."

**The desperation in her voice made him groan, and he lifted her easily, making her wrap her legs around his waist, his lips dancing against hers once again. He went up the stairs and carried her into her small bedroom, laying her down gently, spreading her out like an offering. She squirmed atop the blankets, staring at him with lusty abandon, her doe eyes blown with desire. He waved his hands, and her clothes faded in a mist of gold.**

**For a moment, he simply stared at her, taking in the olive tone of her skin, the way her dark eyes shimmered in the light streaming through her window, how her rosebud mouth pouted in anticipation of him. Then, his eyes were helplessly drawn to her nakedness… to her luscious breasts, with her dusky nipples taut under his unrelenting attention… to the curve of her hips… to the inviting softness of her lower belly… and ultimately, to her mons, peeking demurely from between her legs. She was laid out like an forbidden, exotic feast for him, and he was** **_ravenous_ ** **.**

**For a moment, he felt a spike of anxiety, worried that he was about to make a mistake or let her down. For a moment, he almost stopped, thinking that this was too much, that doing this with her would somehow ruin everything.**

**That moment passed quickly.**

**He crawled up between her legs, kissing her stomach, running his tongue along her breasts, taking in as much of her as he could with his hands and lips and eyes. His hips found the apex of her thighs, and he pushed down on her mons, flexing against her and pressing her down on the mattress. Her heady moans pushed him over the edge.**

**With just a slight adjustment to his angle, Loki pressed his cock forward into the slick heat of her pussy, unable to tear his gaze away from her face as he entered her deeply, joining with her and feeling their energies dance together. Her channel clutched him almost painfully in response, making his eyes flutter at the sensation.**

Her mouth parted in a soft gasp as he entered her, slow and deliberate, careful but passionate all at the same time, taking care to wait for her to adjust to his size. And with him entered a tide of his magic, right into her soul. Maya stared at him transfixed, her hands gripping his forearms tightly, her thighs sliding against his, rising over his hips in a sensual caress. 

In this moment, everything was perfect. Their magics joined with them, and the tingles of it combined with the tingles of sexual pleasure. Maya knew that no matter what happened in the future, she wouldn't regret this moment. This was literally a magical union... like the ones she had read about in her secret magic book stash. 

She was glad that he was the first man she had dared to get intimate with... (and also glad that she had practised aplenty before this).

When her legs wrapped around his waist, she gave him a little smile of encouragement, feeling the heat between them almost burn her skin. His eyes fluttered close then, almost as if he was engrossed in deep meditation. 

Her hands slid up his arms like twin snakes, finally meeting at the nape of his neck, pulling at his long raven hair, revelling in its soft, silken texture. 

"Please... " she whispered again, flexing her hips slightly. "Make love to me..."

**Loki gave her his everything. He pressed himself deep inside of her, sliding along those velvet walls and feeling their magic entwine, pushing and pulling against each other. He lowered his forehead to hers, flexing his hips forward and holding her in place by caging her with his body. When he thrust, she moved against him as though she were blending with him, taking him, in tune with him. He grunted and bared his teeth, eyes closed as he felt his pleasure and his magic swell. He thrust into her with more abandon, and she responded by spreading herself further to receive him… back and forth they went, faster and faster, until the pace was so quick that they both were calling out each other's names and losing themselves in the intense finale of their intimacy.**

**Right as his pleasure reached its peak, Loki looked at Maya, watched her face contort in ecstasy as she seized up and clenched around him. Just the sight of it was enough to bring him - the feel of her body against his, her magic flowing through him, and the thought that he had never felt so close to anyone before made his orgasm crash over him like a tidal wave, the hot fire of completion burning through his veins and pulling moan after moan from his throat. His energy poured out of him, and he pulsed and pumped inside her as she milked him, those strong, silken walls drawing his seed from his shaft.**

**Soon he was spent, and could no longer hold himself above her. He lowered himself down and lay on his side, pulling her leg up over his thigh and keeping himself fully engulfed in her heat. He stroked her sweat-matted hair and looked her in the eyes, smiling, holding her gently, wanting to stay in this moment for as long as he could.**

Maya felt...  _ complete _ . In this moment, she did, truly. 

They lay together on her old queen sized bed, still joined, still breathing heavily. When he smiled at her, she felt pleasure course through her all over again. Just like that, he twitched inside her, pulling a soft moan from her lips. 

She was still so sensitive down there, just that little movement was almost too much to bear. 

Outside, the clouds had gathered already, and soft, misty rain was coming down...

This moment was dreamy, and Maya never wanted it to end. She nudged his nose with hers, her smile widening as he twitched again. So he was sensitive too. He was just... perfect.

"Thank you," she whispered as the rain grew heavy, drowning out the rest of the world and cocooning them in their little intimate bubble. "You know, you're my first..."

As she said that, her fingers traced along his cheekbones, revelling in his ethereal beauty. How did she make a lover out of such a striking man, she didn't know, but she was basking in his attention all the same.

**_Oh...Norns..._ **

**Her words resonated and echoed through his mind.** **_Her first...that was her first...?_ **

**A subtle panic began to rise amidst the euphoric afterglow of their lovemaking. He hadn't considered that giving into his desires might mean so much more to her. He had claimed her maidenhood! After knowing her for only two days!**

**But as she continued to snuggle into him and smile, running her hands along his body in a caressing, caring way, he forced the panic to subside. Becoming awkward and uncomfortable in such a vulnerable moment would be cruel - she didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve any of the cruelty she faced.**

**So, despite his trepidation and anxiety over the consequences of what their intimacy could mean (for both of them), he simply allowed the quiet happiness of their joining to meld with the soft sounds of the afternoon rain, running his hands along her body and holding her close.**

**"You were wonderful..." he said reverently, sighing against her skin.**

**He would deal with the consequences later.**

"Mmm," she hummed happily, running her hand along his arm and shoulder, feeling the solid muscles underneath. "I'm a novice, but I have a good partner."

Her lips pressed against his neck with a gentle suction, loving his answering groan. It was so deep and sensual, and she felt it right in her centre, still joined with him as she was.

"You're delicious," she claimed, dragging her lips up to his cheek. "And irresistible… has anyone told you this? You're like a drug. I don't think I had a chance at resisting you at all."

She smiled against his cheek as he shivered in response to the praise. She made it a point to praise him more...

"You've been so good to me. Even when I was vulnerable and scared. You've given me so much... especially the kindred of magic."

**“I never expected this,” he admitted, kissing her softly on the forehead. “I was just looking to escape my troubles. I never imagined what I might find.”**

**They lay in lazy bliss and silence for quite some time, simply listening to the rainfall on the roof of her cabin and breathing in the fresh, moist air filled with the scent of her garden. It reminded Loki of those early summer days he spent as a boy at his mother’s family home on Vanaheim...**

**A pang of hurt and regret shot through his chest at the memory. So much had changed between his family and him now, and he didn’t know if he’d be able to go back to them. He didn’t even know whether it would be apt to go back to Asgard at all.**

**He was, after all, not of Asgard.**

**He had lashed out at the revelation, and his life had simply fallen apart after that. Still, he hoped that someday he would have a chance to talk to his mother about it. Some day…**

**For now, he ignored those heavy feelings and tried to stay in the moment, in bed with Maya--his little Midgardian witch.**

**When rain began to lessen, Loki shifted slightly, breaking the sleepy spell of the afternoon.**

**“Well, Maya, I believe we still have some shopping to do. And I’m feeling a bit hungry - how about you?”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, Latent, is very sowwy for the delay in publishing this chapter. I had some personal issues to deal with, which drained me terribly.   
> We hope you enjoyed this chapter. Unfortunately, there were no delicious dishes in this chapter. Only the smut. lol  
> Let us know your thoughts in the comments. We love love love all of your comments, even if it's hard to reply to them all these days. Thank you. <3


	7. Mela

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a revealing afternoon, Loki and Maya spend more time with each other and explore the local mela.

**Important Notes**

**Bold Text = Loki’s/Luke’s POV**

Normal Text = Maya’s POV

  
Maya giggled, sitting up slowly, still feeling all lazed out and lethargic. That magic melding (and the activities after that) had drained her, but still not enough to keep her from feeding him. 

Stretching her arms, she looked at him and thought about what she'd make for lunch. 

"Ok, so lunch first, then we go shopping. I also want to show you the  _ mela _ \--the big carnival that lights up the whole town." She quickly snatched the single sheet on the bed and wrapped it around herself, leaving Luke all exposed. 

That was a sight to behold. She wished she could draw him. She was decent with sketches, but now wasn't the time...

"So... I'm thinking of making us some yellow rice with potatoes and tomatoes. It's one of my faves."

**“Could I, perhaps, take you out for lunch? I’d like to treat you to a meal.”**

**He lay back on the bed, stretching to his full length and enjoying the expression on her face as she took him in. Her gaze kept drifting down below his waist...**

**“Ahem, my eyes are up here,” he chuckled as she quickly looked up at him, blushing furiously.**

**He waved his hand over his body and he shimmered in gold, covering himself in the kurta she had made and a simple pair of slacks. She pulled the sheet more tightly around her.**

**“Better?” he asked, still smirking.**

"You're quite mischievous, aren't you?" she asked rhetorically, smirking back at him, sidling up to her clothes trunk. 

Selecting a pair of leggings and a kurta for herself, she tapped her chin and turned back to him thoughtfully. 

"Ok, treat me all you like,  _ Mr. Prince _ . I think I'm in the mood for some  _ chhole bhature! _ Then we can go to the mela and take a ride on a giant wheel. And eat candy floss!" She skipped into the bathroom as she kept talking. "I'll be back after a quick shower. Stay right there."

**Loki did as she asked, though he helped himself to one of the books on her small bookshelf about Hinduism and leafed through it as he listened to her bathe.**

**By the time she came out, drying her long, thick hair with a fluffy towel, he had read almost all of it.**

**“There certainly is a rich history here...” he said as she came out. “I don’t know how you can keep all this straight! So many names and deities and stories. It’s making my head spin!”**

She laughed at his comment, approaching him to see what page he was on. It was Lord Shiva's.

It seemed that he felt some kind of affinity with the deity.

"We do have lots of gods. And the religion itself has had different main pantheons over the millennia. It's confusing to most Hindus as well. I'll get you more books on it, if you want to go in-depth. I do believe that Lord Shiva is a pre-vedic deity, though."

Upon his look of absolute confusion, she tried to clarify her point further.

"Well, the oldest Veda--one of our sacred texts--is considered to be about four thousand years old. And many trace the beginning of Hinduism from there. But the origins of Lord Shiva as a deity date further back. I like to read about these things... I know it's super nerdy."

**"I like nerdy."**

**It wasn't lost on him how close the word Veda sounded to Edda...and that in itself was just another astounding thing about this place. With a surprised raise of his eyebrows, he put the book back and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her down so she sat next to him, then kissing her on the cheek.**

**He couldn't help but grin at the little shiver she made.**

**"So...ready to go shopping?"**

"Yes!" she said excitedly. "Let's go. I can't wait to get you in some nice Indian clothing. I think you look very dashing in it."

Well, he'd look dashing in pretty much everything, he was just THAT beautiful... but still, she could see that he needed encouragement, for he smiled so shyly at her compliment. How come someone like him felt so self conscious about it?

"First lunch, then shopping, then mela." Giving him a light peck on his lips, she took his hand and led him out of the cabin.

\------

Maya was quite amused to see Luke's face light up as he put the first morsel of the chhola-bhatura in his mouth. It was so damn delicious, she herself ate two huge, fluffy bhaturas. He ordered another plate, which didn't surprise her at all.

The shopping went pretty smoothly. Maya got Luke ten kurtas and different types of accompanying leggings and pants. She got him a few shirts too. Luke had been quite picky about it, but only, she discovered, because he had a very good sense of style. 

They also went shopping for shoes, undergarments and socks. And Luke wasn't THAT particular about the styling there. 

Afterwards, they returned to the cottage to quickly drop their shopping bags with Ramkishan and then rushed to attend the mela, where she immediately dragged Luke to the giant wheel ride. Since Palampur wasn't that big a place, they didn't have any theme parks there. The rides in the melas were the only ones they ever got. So she wasn't going to miss an opportunity to get to one as soon as possible.

While Luke looked quite bored with the ride, Maya raised her hands and swayed happily as their little seat went up and down, round and round.

It was the happiest she had felt in a long time...

**Loki kept his arm around her shoulders as she giddily swung back and forth in the little chair. It was endearing, seeing her so unguardedly happy, so incredibly comfortable with him.**

**Norns, if only she knew...**

**He pushed that unwelcome thought aside and focused, instead, on her.**

**Once the ride was over, she pulled him over to a little cart with a large metal cylinder. The man behind it spun a sweet-smelling, pink and blue coloured bundle of fluff, then handed it to Maya. She ripped off a tuft and gave it to Loki, and he put it in his mouth...it dissolved instantly and left nothing but a sweet, subtly fruity taste in his mouth.**

**His eyes went wide, and he grabbed a handful from Maya.**

**"** **_That's_ ** **the best yet! How did I not know these things existed?"**

"How did YOU not know about them? Are you not of this world?" she asked, giggling as he took more of her candy floss. She ordered two more while he inhaled it. "I thought candy floss is popular the world over?"

He didn't reply, but his eyes seemed shifty in that moment, as if he was hiding something terrible from her. Huh... weird.

She chose to ignore it, for the moment was really sweet, and Luke looked really cute gorging on some fluffed pink and blue candy. 

They went to the shooting range stall next, and Maya really sucked at getting any of the targets. She did kind of want their prize, though--a teddy bear almost as big as her. It would've made a nice cuddle buddy. 

But then again, if Luke stayed for long, he was a better cuddle buddy than a stuffy by far. 

These were dangerous thoughts, and she was getting ahead of herself, she knew, but she couldn't help but imagine a more settled life with him. It was a beautiful fantasy...

She shook her head as she lost, and then stepped aside for Luke.

**Loki saw the way she looked longingly at the giant stuffed bear, and he grinned. Stepping up to the low counter, he put what he thought was the correct amount of money down, then picked up the toy gun. Lining up his aim precisely, he fired.**

**It missed completely.**

**_The sight is off by 2 degrees...easy enough to fix._ **

**The second shot hit the target exactly in the middle. As did the next. And the next. And the next.**

**The look on Maya's face when the attendant handed her that bear made Loki's heart absolutely melt. She squeezed it as hard as she could, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, kissing her on the top of the head.**

**"You said I could treat you all I like. This seems right up that alley."**

"Thank you!" she said gratefully, smiling so wide that her cheeks hurt. "You're the best!"

She clutched the teddy to her chest as they walked to the next stall. It was a smallish haunted house tent, and they went in giggling like little kids. 

"Where did you learn to shoot so well?" she whispered, just as they stepped into the dark corridor of the haunted displays, with the creepy soundtrack accompanying them. "Wait, nevermind... I forgot that royalty is trained in such things. I bet you're killer at horse riding and plane flying too. Or something similar."

**"Or...something like that..." He grinned, thinking back to his training in Asgard. Again, that pang of guilt hit him. His home...no longer his home. He swallowed his feelings and squeezed Maya's hand as they made their way through the spooky attraction, grateful for the darkness that hid his initial struggle to maintain his composure.**

**It had just gotten dark, and as the sun dipped down below the horizon, Loki suddenly heard many loud popping noises nearby, followed by bright flashes of colorful lights. He jumped instinctively at the sudden shock before realizing there was no danger...and that he had somewhat leapt into Maya. Sheepishly, he backed away.**

**"Sorry about that. Loud noises were never my favorite."**

**She just giggled, and he relaxed again, letting her lead him through the festivities into the night.**

The fireworks were beautiful. Thankfully, this year, the mela organizers had seen to it that they wouldn't use the more polluting kind. And it worked really well. 

The night sky shimmered and glowed in their glory, and Maya felt really at peace just standing under the display, holding Luke's hand. 

Luke seemed fascinated by them, but also a bit sad, for some reason. 

"Did your home have a lot of such fireworks?" she asked without thinking, wondering if he was feeling homesick. 

His eyes widened at her question, but then he schooled his expression, giving her a tight smile. 

"You don't have to answer," she said before he could reply, feeling bad about reminding him of his home. "Let's just enjoy the rest of the night. I'm feeling hungry again. Want to try something spicy once more?"

**Loki appreciated the pass on having to make up a lie about why the fireworks made him sad...about how they were often set off at funerals on Asgard. So he simply smiled and nodded, and let her lead him to the next food stall so he could try yet another amazing bit of cuisine.**

**She ordered something called** **_aloo tikki_ ** **, and when the vendor handed it over, Loki couldn't wait to try it. It smelled incredible - several round, flat potato croquettes served with a side sauce that he could only describe as "divine". Maya ended up ordering two more servings before he'd had enough. But when he saw her yawn and stretch, smiling sleepily, he squeezed her close and whispered in her ear.**

**"Ready to head back?"**

She nodded, leaning against him, still holding onto her teddy. He kept an arm around her as they got into a cab and headed back to the cottage. 

"This was a great day," she said, squeezing his hand. She really wanted to kiss him right then and there, but propriety demanded that she remain distant. "I don't think I've had so much fun at a mela before. I used to go there all alone after my parents died. It just wasn't the same as it used to be with them. Nonetheless, my present company was just amazing. Did you enjoy it as well?"

**"Immensely," he smiled, noticing her hesitancy to be more intimate and eyeing the driver of the cab. He understood, and held off on his affections. But as soon as they left the cab and went back into the cottage, he shut the door quickly behind him, then spun her around and kissed her, holding her tight.**

**She nearly dropped the teddy bear, simply holding it limply in one arm while the other wrapped around his neck.**

**"This great day isn't over..." he whispered against her lips, lifting her up so her legs could link around his waist. He again pushed her up against a nearby wall and kissed her deeply, yearning to feel her body and magic as soon as possible.**

She moaned against his mouth as she felt how hard he was, pressing against her as she wrapped her legs around him. She was still a bit tender from their lovemaking, but by Gods, she wanted him again. 

A simple potion would take care of the soreness later... 

The giant teddy dropped from her hold then, as she carded her fingers through his dark locks, kissing him back hungrily. This was different from their time at the cabin. Less tentative, more aggressive and needy. 

She liked it. Especially when he growled against lips and ground against her, grabbing her bottom and squeezing it hard.

"Luke!" she cried out, almost muffled by his mouth. "Oh god... p-please take me."

She was being so shameless and desperate, so unlike her usual cautious and demure self. But this was just how she was with him. Their connection made their mutual attraction insanely strong.

Just to emphasize it, she sent an intense wave of her magic into him, wanting to see what he'd do.

**He felt that signature energy of hers flow and swell in him, and he groaned and bared his teeth, releasing a needy moan. He even shuddered and nearly lost his grip on her, but he pulled her back before they could lose their momentum. With something of a snarl, he pushed back with his own magic, breathing it into her, filling her with it, letting it expand into every part of her body and soul. He'd never shared so much of himself with anyone before - she brought it out of him naturally.**

**She was shrieking with desire by the time he got her to the large four-poster bed in the master bedroom of the cottage. He laid her on the soft white comforter, keeping their fingers entwined so their magic would continue to circulate between them, and leaned back to look at her, seeing the moonlight dancing in her eyes. With just a squint, he called his seidr to him and dissolved their clothing in a swirl of gold, letting her feel how he moved and worked the magic to make it do his bidding. Her breath stuttered as he did so, and he held her there gently for a moment, just watching her and taking in the view of her naked body below his.**

She was overflowing with his magic, and it was almost too much... too intense and powerful. Her breath was now coming in short bursts, and her head was swimming. She couldn't even move as he showed her how he used his magic, taking her clothes away once again in a golden glow. 

At the same time, he watched her hungrily, his eyes tracing her naked form intimately, as if committing it to memory. She squirmed shyly, feeling very vulnerable, spread out on the bed like a display. But she didn't say anything. It was thrilling her as much as it was making her self conscious. 

She had completely given up the control of the situation to him, waiting for him to take her at his own pace. Even though his penetrating gaze ignited her insides. 

A dark blush spread down her cheeks, reaching her breasts, heating her up as he leaned over her. His eyes were growing darker and darker, the sea green almost overtaken by the black. It was beautiful... it was  _ erotic _ .

"Luke..." she murmured, shaky and full of need. "What are you doing?"

Just as she said that, she felt another wave of his magic flow into her... and she closed her eyes and moaned, trembling on the soft cotton comforter...

**Loki closed his eyes, hearing that other name on her lips and contorting his face with guilt for just a split second before schooling his features again. The irony of being so open with her, and yet still so hidden...he wished he could explain. He wished he could tell her. So instead, he used his body and his magic to show her how he felt instead of using his words to ruin it.**

**"Fuck...Maya..."**

**His cock nudged against her slick center, already weeping and ready for him a second time. He could feel those hot juices on the spongy head of his shaft...oh he wanted her desperately. The guilt washed away as he claimed her sex, gently pushing forward so as not to hurt her so soon after her first time. And the noises that left her throat were a symphony of pleasure, a harmony of moans and whimpers and pleas. He took her passionately, rocking her back and forth, the pace faster and more urgent this time, less hesitating and unsure. He held himself inside her, feeling the tip of himself nudge against her cervix, and he continued to take those deep thrusts until tears streamed down her face and she begged him for relief.**

**He couldn't help but oblige her.**

**With one final thrust, she spasmed around him, and he released, letting her orgasm pull the pleasure from him and take him over the edge.**

Maya was vibrating with happiness and pleasure. Luke's magic was wrapped around her like a cocoon, and his manhood was still throbbing inside her.

She felt so full of joy in that moment that her eyes welled up. She clutched him tightly and tried to keep him from discovering her tears, hiding her face into his neck. It might unsettle him if he saw her like this...

"I think I'm falling for you, hard, and I can't help it," she whispered, her heart still beating rapidly.

**"I..."**

**Loki was at a loss for words. This was too much - he had gone too far. He'd let himself get swept up in the joy of being with her, and now she was...attached. His heart sank. Norns, how could he let this happen?**

**And was he falling for her as well? It was too soon to tell - it had only been a few days! But he had to admit, he'd never felt like this with ANYONE before. She was so innocent and unique and precious...**

**_I am going to ruin her...just like I ruin everything..._ **

**Loki squeezed her tighter. He needed to tell her, he had to come clean about who he was. She deserved that much. He'd felt so far away and removed from everything here, but she would see something eventually.**

**"I feel something special about us as well, Maya," he said softly, staring up at the ceiling and planning how he would talk to her about it. He needed more time.**

**"I'd like to take a shower. Would you get some dinner ready for us?"**

She sighed happily, then wiped her eyes quickly before she rose.

"Ok, but first, let me clean up," she said, wrapping the comforter around herself, "and give my clothes back. This is the second set you've stolen them with magic, you mischievous thief." 

She smirked as she ran to the bathroom to freshen up, leaving him chuckling.

When she returned, her clothes were back on the bed, looking impeccably clean and ironed. Before she could ask how, Luke gave her a quick kiss and rushed to the bathroom.

"Wear your new kurta and leggings!" she called as she heard the door close while she dressed.

She shook her head and went to the kitchen. There was much she didn't know about his magic and its workings. Maybe with time, she'd learn more about both him and his powers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! We hope you enjoyed this latest installment. Leave your thoughts in the comments - thanks!


	8. Secret Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the cat gets out of the bag... so to say.

**IMPORTANT NOTES**

**Bold Text** = _Loki's POV; Raichand's POV_

Normal Text = _Maya's POV_

* * *

After doing the prep for dinner, Maya went to the living room and turned the TV on to pass her time. There was a lot happening in the world these days, and it was easy to forget it all in this obscure little town. But she liked to catch up on current affairs, so she often watched the news.

Just as the coverage of the strange attack on New York came up, her phone began to ring. She picked it up and saw Mr. Raichand's number blinking on the screen.

She picked up the call immediately.

"Good evening, Mr. Raichand," she said pleasantly, trying not to sound too ecstatic. He must've called to ask after Luke. "How're you doing?"

**"Hello Maya," Mr. Raichand said in his gruff, gravelly voice. Years of smoking had given him a distinctive rumble when he spoke, and he took another drag on his cigarette before continuing.**

**"Bad news, I'm afraid. Mr. Williams was in a car accident on the way to Palampur. He is in the hospital; I just heard today. Why didn't you call when he didn't arrive two days ago?"**

**Maya had always been a reliable caretaker for his property, but she didn't have much sense for business. Did she expect him to just pay her for caring for a guest when no guest had arrived? He wouldn't put it past her, always trying to pull more money from him. He waited impatiently for her answer.**

Maya froze in shock, and it felt like a tanker full of water had been unloaded on her.

"W-What?" she said after a few seconds, somehow gathering herself enough to reply. "Accident?"

Her mind raced...

If the real Luke Williams was in hospital, then who was this man who had come here? Who claimed her so intimately and took care of her in her time of need?

"What do you mean, sir?"

**"What do you mean** **_'What do I mean_ ** **?'" he groaned. What was she up to now? "Did you forget I had a guest coming? Is that why you didn't call?"**

**She had been a bit forgetful lately. Spending so much time in her studies trying to earn that degree was making her a poor worker. If he wasn't so against having to train a new caretaker, he would have let her go. But for now, he just huffed. She was still silent, which he took as proof that he'd caught her screwing up.**

**"Maya...sometimes I worry about you. I rely on you to take care of my property and my guests, and if you cannot remember I have guests coming, how can you prepare the cottage? How can you ensure they are relaxed and happy while enjoying my hospitality? I'm very disappointed, Maya. It's a good thing Mr. Williams didn't arrive at an empty, unprepared house, or my reputation would be damaged. Do you know that?"**

"I... I..." She choked on her words, unable to make sense of anything. Mr. Raichand rambled on, berating her for slacking. "I prepared. No... I didn't slack, sir. I had done everything...."

But he didn't listen to her.

Suddenly, loud noises of fighting and explosions came from the TV, attracting her attention. And what she saw there made her shake with trepidation.

On the screen, there were two men fighting in strange armour. And one of them--wearing a horned helm--looked all too familiar.

Her eyes widened as she recognised that face--so taken with unbridled rage that it made her blood run cold.

She rose from the sofa and cut the call immediately.

And at the same time, she heard footsteps approaching the living room.

To say that she was panicking would be an understatement...

**Loki walked into the living room wearing his new kurta and leggings that they'd purchased earlier. It was comfortable, he was clean. He was already feeling better about what he had to do. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad...perhaps all the kindness he'd shown her and the magic they'd felt would somehow soften the blow that he had been lying to her for the past two days. Then again...she was a delicate thing. He hated the idea of hurting her, but it would hurt so much more if he continued to lie. So, with a deep breath, he prepared to tell her his secret.**

**He was still rubbing his damp hair with a towel when he saw Maya standing in the middle of the room, loosely holding her phone in her hand and staring at the television.**

**"Maya, what's--"**

**It was him. In New York. Two days ago.**

**Her phone dropped, and she spun around to face him, sheer terror on her face. Betrayal. Panic. Pain.**

**She knew.** **_She knew..._ **

**"Maya, I can explain..." he said too quickly, putting up his hands with his palms out to try and calm her.**

**It didn't work. She took off running toward the front door.**

**"WAIT! No, Maya!"**

**He couldn't let her leave. He couldn't let her tell the world where he was, that the murderous Asgardian prince had been hiding out in a rural Indian village for two days after escaping the Avengers with one of the most powerful items in the universe.**

**And so, hardly thinking about it, he magically locked the door. He trapped her inside with him. He had to explain to her - he had to try!**

Maya dashed to the main door and tried to open it. It just didn't budge.

"No!" She cried out, pulling at its handle till her hands throbbed in pain. It was locked and jammed.

Magic... she could sense it. He had locked it with magic.

Her panic rose tenfold. 

So without thinking, she went for the window, opening the large glass panel to jump out. 

But before she could jump, strong hands grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back into the cottage.

"No! Please!" She struggled, sobbed, tried to twist around and get free. 

It was all useless. His grip on her was inexorable.

"You liar! Bastard!" she screamed, not giving up on her struggles yet. "You used me!"

**"Please, Maya! Stop flailing and let me talk to you!"**

**Norns, this was exactly what he didn't want! His heart broke as he held her writhing body, trying to get her to submit, to calm, to relax so he could...what? Explain that, yes, he had used her? That he had lied to her from the first moment they met?**

**She continued to fight him, scratching at him, punching him weakly, tears streaming from her eyes in fear and frustration until she finally broke down sobbing. She gave up, going limp in his arms, trembling. He walked her to the couch and set her down gently, keeping a hand on her leg just in case she decided to get up and try to flee again.**

**"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Maya. Please understand, I didn't have a choice..."**

She didn't respond. She couldn't.

Her head hurt, her hands hurt, her heart hurt. Everything hurt...

Tears kept streaming down her eyes as she sat there with the mastermind of the New York attack, without choice or agency. He was talking rapidly, but she couldn't hear him. Her ears were ringing too loudly.

His hand was on her thigh. She felt its pressure, it was like a lead block--keeping her pinned. He had trapped her in the cottage, and now he was keeping her on a tight leash.

She was essentially a hostage now, wasn't she? Would he kill her now? Or just keep her alive to serve him in every way...?

She shuddered at the thought, thinking back on their lovemaking. No... that wasn't lovemaking. He used her. 

She should've known... her luck was always shitty. There was no way this happy streak could've lasted. Indeed, she crashed and burned.

She was a fool. And an idiot. Too trusting and hopeful. 

Luke--no... _Loki_ was still talking frantically. Ugh...

"Stop," she mumbled, her voice garbled and weak. "Kill me or let me go. I can't take this..."

**"What? Have you heard** **_nothing_ ** **I've said?"**

**Loki had tried, as best he could, to apologize, to explain, to persuade her to see his side of things. He thought he'd been making progress...but then she said he could kill her?**

**"Maya...I won't hurt you. I would** **_never_ ** **hurt you..."**

**He would have given anything for her to look at him, to meet his eye. But she just wrapped her arms around herself, held herself, and cried softly. He felt his hope draining the longer she closed him off. How foolish he had been, to think that he may have found a friend, a partner...a fellow magic user who was impressed by his abilities and wanted to learn...**

**He felt tears forming in his eyes. Desperate, lonely tears. It had been so long since he'd connected with anyone like he'd connected with her, and he felt her slipping through his fingers.**

**"Please...please, Maya. I was going to tell you, I swear. Forgive me..."**

_Shiva, Shakti, help me..._ she prayed silently, feeling so utterly hopeless and lost. 

She closed her eyes and began to rock back and forth, unable to think clearly. It was the worst feeling ever...

She began to chant internally, trying to focus on the repetition of mantras, trying to find her soul's anchor. 

After a while, her thoughts began to clear a bit. The adrenalin surge passed, and her ears stopped ringing. It was then that she felt a hand on her shoulder, making her jump.

Her eyes snapped open, looking straight at Loki through the tears. He held a glass of water and a handkerchief, looking at her with what could only be contrition.

And his eyes were wet too. 

_What...?_

She took the glass and drank a few sips of water, then snatched the handkerchief, not wanting to touch him. She needed to stay away from him; what if he actually put a spell on her?

"Why?" she asked in a whisper, not trusting her voice still. "Why?"

**"Fear...panic..." Loki admitted honestly. "I didn't know where I ended up after I teleported here. You showed up and ushered me into the house and I just...went with it. I didn't know what else to do..."**

**He got down on the floor, on his knees, and tried to meet her eyes. Looked up at her desperately, hoping she would return his gaze.**

**"I didn't expect any of this! I didn't know I would find you...I simply commanded the Tesseract to bring me to safety, and it brought me here! I just--"**

**Right then, Maya's phone began to buzz where she'd left it on the floor. Loki looked over at it, then back at her, pleading with his eyes.**

**"If our time together has meant anything to you, please...please help me."**

Maya didn't know what to do. Her phone was ringing incessantly. She knew it was Mr. Raichand.

If she told him, he would surely inform the right authorities. 

The phone kept ringing... Loki kept looking at her with sad, pleading eyes.

Maya fidgeted, swallowing hard. Memories of their time together flashed through her mind, reminding her that he had had plenty of opportunity and time to harm her... but he hadn't. Instead, he had protected her fiercely.

Her phone stopped ringing.

She blinked and drank more water, her thoughts clearing further as the initial panic of discovering his true identity subsided. 

"What's a Tesseract?" she asked finally, seeing him breathe a sigh of relief. "Why would it bring you here?"

**The silence that hung in the air after her phone stopped ringing and she asked that question was palpable. She held his gaze, demanding truth, knowing she didn't need to give him this chance. With a sigh, he manifested the Tesseract from his interdimensional pocket and held it up to show her.**

**"** **_This_ ** **is the Tesseract," he said gravely. "It allows its wielder to instantly teleport anywhere in the universe. It's how I got here from New York. I don't know why it brought me here, other than it was supposed to be safe. But this small cube is the reason why I'm being hunted by Thanos and by the Avengers. It's how I'm getting out of here..."**

**A darkness overcame his face as he said that, knowing she would understand what that meant. He wasn't going to stay, he couldn't. Especially now. It tore him up inside.**

**"I have many enemies, Maya. Powerful ones. I do what I can to stay ahead of them. Sometimes there is collateral damage..."**

**He met her eyes again, searching, trying to see if she understood.**

Maya was still so confused, but she could feel that glowing cube's magic. It was something way too intense for her, and she shrank back from it.

Loki saw her discomfort with it, and thus, vanished it again. The fact that he could wield something so powerful boggled her mind...

"So... you were just going to abandon me," she said numbly, feeling fresh tears forming in her eyes. "Figures... I'm a small fry, and you're involved in bigger things. So... why the attack? I heard in the news that you want to conquer this planet. If you already have so many enemies, why make more?"

**"I was...** **_compelled_ ** **to do that by Thanos," he said, gritting his teeth. The memories of** **_how_ ** **he had been compelled still haunted him. He wouldn't tell her about that...not ever.**

**"I made a bargain. I would come to Midgard - ‘Earth’ - and acquire the Tesseract for him, and he would let me rule this planet. One in a universe that would be his. I didn't expect to encounter such significant resistance, but once my brother was involved...I knew I wouldn't succeed."**

**He looked down somewhere on the floor, eyes unfocused, the story playing out in his mind as he spoke.**

**"The only place I could think of that I would be safe from Thanos if I failed was Asgard. And after what I'd done...there was no other way back but in chains. I knew Thor needed the Tesseract to get home, and that he's smart enough not to trust the humans to contain me - I just had to survive and get captured. So I stayed out of the battle, stayed exactly where I knew they would find me. And as we were leaving the building...the Tesseract found** **_me_ ** **..."**

**He looked up at her, hoping she didn't think he was mad.**

**"I can't explain it...it was** **_drawn_ ** **to me, somehow. So I picked it up...and here I am."**

"I hope you realize how crazy that sounds. Everything you've just said is crazy," she said, looking down at her hands. "Anyway, it's not like I have much control here. But... I think you should leave."

Her heart ached as she said that. He was going to leave her hanging anyway, so just ripping the bandaid was better.

"I have likely lost my job, because Mr. Raichand was upset with me. So... I can no longer provide you with what you need."

She felt so exhausted suddenly. The future she had planned now lay crumpled. She didn't have anywhere to go if Mr. Raichand kicked her. She hoped that he wouldn't, but there was no guarantee...

"Take what you need from here, to ease your journey."

She refused to meet his eyes as she said that. Already, she was mourning the end of their involvement. Despite his odd reasoning, she still felt used. There was no other way to see it. She was an easy option, and he took it. She acted recklessly, and this was her punishment for it.

**Loki looked at her, his heart breaking. The sadness on her face absolutely destroyed him - she didn't deserve any of this. She deserved to explore her powers, to live unpersecuted, to understand her potential. Not rot away as a slave in some rural corner of India. This place...it was complex, historic, intense. There was great beauty and unique, deep culture here. And the food...** **_Norns,_ ** **the food...**

**But it was a prison for her. She would never get out of here; her own society practically guaranteed it.**

**Maya deserved more.**

**A plan began to form in Loki's mind. His eyes twitched back and forth, the idea spinning itself out, and after a few seconds, he looked back up at her urgently.**

**"Come with me," he said, reaching out and taking her hand without thinking. As soon as he realized what he'd done...he left it, squeezing her hand. "Let me get you out of here. I know where to go next...and it's somewhere you can be free."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **DUN DUNN DUNNNNNN!**  
>  So... what do you think is going to happen now? Is Maya going to trust Loki enough to listen to him? Or will she simply kick him out? Huehuehue...
> 
> (Latent: I'll share the recipes I left out in the next update, I promise. I'm running a bit short of energy rn. Please bear with me, kind readers)


	9. Maya's Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Maya decides her future with Loki... and Loki has his own plans about it.

**IMPORTANT NOTES**

**Bold Text** = _Loki's POV_

Normal Text = _Maya's POV_

* * *

**"Come with me," he said, reaching out and taking her hand without thinking. As soon as he realized what he'd done...he left it, squeezing her hand. "Let me get you out of here. I know where to go next...and it's somewhere you can be free."**

Maya’s listless and sad eyes widened at his suggestion. 

"Are you... _mad_?" she asked, surprised and a tad bit suspicious too. "Think of the consequences... What if we get caught? I'll just be a dead weight for you, for I'm just a simple witch with simple potion magic."

In her heart, she wanted to leave with him... it was a great big fantasy. But there were so many complications in its reality.

"I have grandparents back in my village. They don't like me much, but they're dependent on the money I send them. As a Hindu, it's my duty to take care of them, as part of my _dharma_. I don't want to be negligent towards my duties."

She didn't know if he'd understand where she was coming from. The offer was so tempting, though... 

She sighed heavily.

"I'm not even fully sure that I can trust you... I'm sorry if I sound like a bitch. I WANT to trust you, for you protected me from those men, kept me from harm, gave me the euphoric magical melding...and _more_." Her cheeks heated up as that "more" hung in the air uncomfortably. "But I essentially don't know anything about you. And I don't know if I can handle going to this new place with you..."

**"I can fix this for you..." he said, knowing that he probably looked and sounded a bit insane. But his mind was spinning...he realized he may have found a way out, a way to help her** **_and_** **himself. "I can provide your grandparents with all the money they'll ever need. You won't have to worry about them at all. And** **_you_ ** **don't have to worry about being caught. No one is after you..."**

**He smiled hopefully, trying to make her see.**

**"Do you think, now that you know who I am, that none of what we had together was real? I'm still** **_me_** **, I still feel the way I feel about you, Maya. I think you're...** **_incredible_** **. You're such a treasure..."**

**He reached up and cupped her cheek, unsure whether she would accept his touch or turn away. He allowed himself to hope…**

**“We’ll leave this world and start anew. Everything will be fine.”**

Maya felt so confused. Just a few minutes ago she was running for her life, trying to fight him with all that she had. She didn't even know how many times she had kicked and punched him. Not that it had any impact...

But now, he was offering her a better life. He was offering to take care of her. He didn't want to abandon her...

"I..." Her voice cracked, and she began to cry again. "No one has ever offered to take care of me. I had stopped hoping."

He wiped her tears away, holding her cheeks gently, looking into her eyes earnestly. He still wanted an answer from her.

"But... can I pack a few things I want to take? My personal treasures--my books, old photos, my plant samples, my...teddy."

That last thing was a bit ridiculous, but it held a lot of sentimental value for her. Her lips turned up at the memory of how he had won it for her.

"I'm sorry I'm being a pest, but I don’t want to leave these things behind."

**"Yes, of course!" Loki nearly laughed, seeing the smile on her face. "You can take whatever you'd like. Oh, Maya...please believe me, I want nothing but the best for you. You have been so kind and caring and...** **_wonderful_** **. You've shown me more compassion than I've had in centuries..."**

**He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, holding her tight and showing with his actions how he felt about her.**

**Then he heard her phone ringing again. He jumped a bit, his focus so completely on Maya that he had forgotten about the device. It occurred to him how sudden all of this was.**

**"Take a day. Write to your grandparents, tie up your loose ends, and leave with me tomorrow."**

**The phone rang again, and his eyebrows peaked. He gave her another pleading look.**

**"I've made so many mistakes, Maya. Let me do this one thing right. Let me help you. I promise I won't let you down."**

She nodded, feeling pleasurable tingles all over again when he kissed her forehead. She got up from the diwan then, and went to pick up the phone.

It was Mr. Raichand again. _Damn him to hell..._

She pressed the ignore button and turned back to Loki, a bit of her still reeling from shock. She was going to elope... with a known war criminal. Gods help her, she was going to take a leap into the unknown...

"Ok. I'll pack my things after dinner. Then I'll transfer the money to my grandparents and give them a call. But... umm, can I know where exactly we're going? Is it in space?"

Loki was essentially from the space, so it made sense that he’d go back to it. After all, he was talking about leaving this world altogether.

Still, this was very hard for her to understand and wrap her head around. She was going to travel through space, apparently, and it was quite common to him, from the way he spoke of it.

No wonder he was called the ‘sky treader’ by the Norse people...

"I just want to mentally prepare myself. I haven't ever been outside my own country, and now you're taking me to some other planet..."

**“It is my mother’s home realm, Vanaheim. My aunt still lives there - she runs a full-fledged sorcery academy, where I myself trained for some time. You show great potential, Maya; I’m certain she would love to have you enrol. I don’t believe they’ve ever had a Midgardian student! And from there, you can study the magics of your choice. Choose a trade, a path. Explore the universe. Vanaheim is just the beginning.”**

**He squeezed her hand, already imagining her there.**

**“You’re going to love it - but be sure to bring your own herbs and samples. You must cook for them! The Vanir are great lovers of food and flavour. You’ll charm them so easily.”**

**Suddenly, Loki felt hopeful again.** **_He_** **might have no future, but at the very least, he could use his powers and influence to help this kind girl. To be a friend...and perhaps more. It was too soon to tell; there were so many considerations, so many variables. They hardly knew each other at all. But this felt right. It was the right thing to do.**

**Had the circumstances been different, it would have made his mother proud.**

Maya listened to Loki’s description of Vanaheim avidly, her eyes rapt and wide as she tried to imagine the world he wove with his words.

"Would they... accept me?" she asked hesitantly. "What if they think me inferior and incompetent? I don’t think I can return to this place if that fails; I'll be completely unmoored, and you'll be bogged down by the responsibility presented by me."

She looked down, squeezing his hand for comfort. 

"I'm sorry I'm thinking of all the negatives. I'm just very scared, for both of us..."

**“Vanaheim is** **_not_** **like Midgard,” Loki said slowly, wanting to make sure she understood. “Your eagerness to learn and your natural abilities are all you need - no one will judge you as you have been judged here. Magic is a common part of life there. Your skills will be honoured and honed.”**

**He looked at her honestly, caught up in the whirlwind of his mind, plans, scheming and ideas flowing. He might be able to get out of this...there might be a way. She gave him hope.**

**“I’m scared, too. I’ve** **_been_** **scared for a long time. But I’ll feel better knowing that I’ve done something right by you. You’re not bogging me down, I’m** **_offering_ ** **it to you, happily and without constraint.”**

She reached up and cupped his cheek, watching him intently. He nuzzled into her palm, as if starved for her touch.

"You've been dealt an unfair hand by life, right? Same as me. I see kindness in your eyes, even though you're known as a bad guy..." She stroked his cheek, leaning forward. "I'm trusting my instinct with you, Loki, because you had every chance to harm me, but you protected me instead. And gave me the affection I hadn't expected. I'll admit, I got scared when I saw you on TV, so I just... ran. I won't run again, I'm going to trust you... let's do this."

* * *

**\-- The Next Day --**

**Loki hadn't slept the night before. After their talk and the revelation of his identity, he'd spent the time making love to Maya again, over and over, thrilling in the sound of his actual name on her lips, until she drifted off, blissed-out, curled against his bare skin.**

**He stayed awake, holding her naked body in his arms and settling in the relief of knowing he was doing something good. Despite all his failures, he would do this one thing right. He would help Maya, he would allow her to reach her true potential...he would be a friend. Before anything else, he swore he would be her friend and care for her, as she deserved.**

**When the sun rose the next morning and she began to stir, he stroked her hair from her face and kissed her forehead as her eyes fluttered open.**

**"Good morning, darling," he said softly, nuzzling her face gently.**

"Mmm..." She sighed and stretched against him, slipping her leg over his thigh. "It's indeed a good morning. Did you sleep at all?"

She regarded him with sleep laden eyes, still not fully awake. He, on the other hand, looked wide awake. She frowned.

"No... you didn't sleep. I can tell."

She cupped his cheek and pressed herself to him. Even though their near constant lovemaking had left her tender, she wanted him all over again. He had treated her like a treasure, touched her so reverentially, she had truly felt his emotions in his actions.

Now, she didn't fear him. The fear had been replaced by a blossoming affection.

**"I didn't. I don't need to. Not as much as you** **_mortals_** **, at least," he joked. It felt so strange and wonderful to be open with her. No lies, no deceit. Just being himself, for the first time in long as he could remember.**

**"Before we go, I'd love to visit another temple with you. Perhaps garner some blessings for this next journey - what do you say? And of course...eat any and all food we can find. I don't know when we'll be able to return again, and I'd like to leave with a full stomach of this incredible cuisine."**

**The low rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. Loki squeezed Maya closer - he truly enjoyed the unpredictable rainstorms here, keeping the air fresh and moist. He closed his eyes and listened, relaxing to the deep tones. They got louder, and closer...**

**_Wait a minute..._ **

**Suddenly, the crash of lightning ignited the sky, a blinding bolt cracking against the ground outside the cottage. Loki jumped up and ran to the window, his heart pounding as he realized what was happening...**

**_"LOKI!"_ **

**Thor's voice shook the windows of the building. He began walking toward the house, sparking with lightning, a furious scowl on his face. Loki went pale.**

**The Thunder God kicked in the door and stormed into the living room.**

**"** **_LOKI! GET OUT HERE NOW AND SURRENDER!_ ** **"**

Maya panicked the moment Loki literally jumped from the bed stark naked. She panicked even more when she heard the angry roaring of another man.

The panic became extreme when she heard something crunch and break in the living room. Loki dashed towards it, calling out a name.. it was Thor.

_Oh God... Oh Shiva, help us!_

Maya wrapped herself in a sheet and quickly ran towards the living room, fearing for Loki's safety. 

"Stop!" she screamed, rushing to right where Loki was and coming to stand in front of him. "Don't harm him! Or else I swear by Shiva and Shakti that I'll hex you and your next generation!"

It didn't even occur to her that she was threatening an old god of the Norse people, but fuck it, she was laying with one as well! And she had to protect him at all costs!

**Loki’s heart stopped when he heard Maya’s voice behind him...and he then saw her dash in front of him, he heard what she said…** ****  
**  
****A thick, heavy silence fell over the three of them - Thor seemed dumbstruck, Maya was nervously holding her ground, and Loki...**

**He couldn’t help it. He started laughing. Here he was, stark nude in front of his brother, his mortal lover covered in nothing but a sheet threatening to hex one of the most powerful gods in the universe...**

**He laughed so hard that he doubled over. Thor still looked furious, then confused, then embarrassed. He covered his eyes and turned away, the pyrotechnics evaporating.**

**“Loki...what in the** **_Nine_ ** **is going on here?!”**

**“What?” Loki chuckled, not trying at all to hide his nudity -** **_or_** **his morning wood - from his uncomfortable brother. “Not how you expected to find me? Can’t fault you for that, at least. How** **_did_** **you find me, by the way? I thought I had covered my tracks quite well.”**

**“Heimdall...ah, said he caught a glimpse before you put up the ward...then Stark found an image of you on a phone in this area. I’ve been searching this place for days! Gah - cover yourself! This is ridiculous!”**

**With a smirk, Loki manifested his kurta and leggings, dressing Maya as well. He turned to her and extended his hand, trying to be comforting.**

**“It’s alright. He won’t do anything. For now.”**

Maya was still not sure... so she stood all stiff while Loki wrapped an arm around her waist. Her eyes didn't leave Thor. 

"He is not bad. If you think so, you need to rethink," she snapped, worried that the thunderer would lash out again and break something else. "Don't hurt him, please. He’s your brother, after all."

She fell quiet then, as Thor’s confused and suspicious gaze kept flitting between her and Loki. He didn’t respond, but he was clearly surprised by her actions.

**Thor’s continuous confusion delighted Loki. With a wave of his hand, he repaired the door that Thor had destroyed, making it appear as though nothing had happened, then he leaned over to Maya.**

**“Would you be a dear and make some of those paranthas and tea? Thor and I need to have a talk...probably best if we did it privately.”**

**He gave her a reassuring smile and wink, and she nodded apprehensively before exiting through the kitchen door.**

**Loki turned and looked at Thor more seriously. “Brother, you know I’m not coming with you.”**

**Thor huffed, snarling at Loki. “Loki, you must answer for your crimes against Midgard and Asgard. Please, come to your senses. This cannot end well for you.”**

**Loki rolled his eyes, chuckling again. “It will end just fine for me, Thor. And I have a plan, one that I think you will approve of...”**

Maya was so damn afraid as she left Loki with Thor. She didn't know how their relationship worked, just that they were brothers. There was so much she still had to discover about Loki, despite her trust in him.

Quickly, she put the tea kettle on the stove and started prepping for the paranthas. She had already kneaded the dough last evening. Now she only had to roll them with the rolling pin and roast them on the _tawa_ pan.

But her thoughts were distracted, and she only functioned robotically. It was a miracle that the paranthas didn’t get charred on the tawa.

After a few minutes, she came back to the living room to invite Thor to the dining room. He was no longer glaring at Loki, at least. It was really awkward, especially now that her threat to him hung in the air heavily. She wondered if he had been able to gauge that she was a witch as well. 

"The paranthas are served. Please come over," she said stiffly, leading them both over to the dining table. "I've made three types: mashed potatoes, cauliflower, and _bathua_."

_Just eat and go away already..._

**Loki hugged her as she led them to the dining room, leaning down and kissing her on the head.**

**“It smells wonderful, darling. And don’t worry. Everything will be alright.”**

**As they sat at the table and Maya started to serve them, Loki cleared his throat and gave Thor a chastising look. Thor looked up then, a start realization marking his gaze.**

**“Oh, Maya. Allow me to apologize for my...less-than-courteous entrance earlier. I did not mean to frighten you.”**

Maya nodded, giving him a small smile. "I guess frightening me is a theme with you two."

_Well, that came out all wrong.. shit._

"I mean, it's ok. Loki repaired the damage. And I'm already likely fired from this job, so... it's all fine if you decide to break this place down." When Thor just stared at her and Loki in confusion, she clarified. "It's just a joke. Apology accepted. Please carry on eating."

She sat down and started eating her paranthas too, though her nerves made it so that she could hardly taste them. She had also packed a large lunchbox for herself and Loki, still hopeful that she'd get to go to Vanaheim.

"So... what's going to happen now?" She looked at both of them one after the other, sipping her tea gingerly.

**“Well...” Loki said, giving Thor a sidelong glance. “I am taking to you Vanaheim to begin your magical studies, and Thor is going to keep the Midgardians off my trail for a bit. Just another day or two should be enough.”**

**Thor nodded reassuringly at Maya. “Yes, there are so few Midgardians who are able to practice magic, it would be a shame to let your abilities go to waste. He has convinced me that taking you to Vanaheim is for the best, if that is truly what you would like to do.”**

**“Which it is,” Loki cut in, chuckling and ribbing her with his elbow, making her giggle. “It took some serious persuasion to get him to believe I wasn’t forcing you to leave against your will. But he understands now what your situation is, and why I am so eager to aid you.”**

**He made eye contact with Thor briefly - a knowing, almost sad look crossing his face, but it was gone in an instant when he looked back at Maya.**

**“We can leave as soon as you’re ready. Just put all the things you want to take along in one place, and I’ll take care of the rest.”**

"Ok," Maya responded, still a bit overwhelmed by the thought of leaving so suddenly, and going so far off.

And never returning. 

For despite all the problems that this place presented, she was attached to it. It had been her home for so long. She was, in essence, still a Kangra valley girl. She didn't know if she'd be able to settle in the new place--a new _realm_. There were many doubts regarding that in her mind, even though Loki was very confident that she'd fit right in. 

"I'll head over to my cabin to collect everything. And set up a payment platform for my grandparents."

With that, she finished her breakfast quickly and left Loki and Thor to gobble theirs. While she was putting her plants through a preservation potion, her phone began to ring again. 

It was Mr.Raichand. 

Very surprising, for it was early morning in England. The guy must be going crazy over how she had ignored his last few calls. 

She picked it up, groaning internally. 

"Hello." Her voice was devoid of emotion, completely flat. 

Apparently, that was what he needed to start ranting at her all over again. Calling her irresponsible and lazy and whatnot. She rolled her eyes and continued to preserve her plants, putting them in neat little sachets. 

Finally, when he stopped jabbering, she spoke up.

"I'm resigning."

She cut the call immediately, leaving him hanging.

**"Thor, I'm telling you, this will work out. And we'll have given this girl a chance...isn't that what a hero would do?"**

**"Loki, this is risky, even for you. You may never get out of there."**

**"You know me better than that..."**

**Thor looked away, but Loki saw the awkward half-smile.**

**"Things will be fine," he chuckled, patting Thor on the back just as Maya returned from her cabin.**

**"Are you ready? I'm afraid time really is of the essence now. We'll have to visit that temple next time..."**

She nodded, unable to keep the sadness from her voice. "It's ok. I did say a prayer in my own little temple in my cabin. I'm taking it with me. Let's go."

Loki and Thor both accompanied her to her cabin then, and much to her continuing surprise, Loki took everything she had collected there with his magic. 

"Where did it all go?" she asked in amazement, eyeing her now empty cabin. "I thought you'd have to say a long spell for it or something."

**"Well, put simply, I have a pocket dimension. It's all in there."**

**He grinned at her shocked expression, then came and put a hand on her shoulder. "You may even be able to create one too, someday. But that will take many years of study..."**

**He looked back at Thor with a serious expression, nodding resolutely.**

**"Until we meet again, Thor," his voice cracked just slightly, enough to belie his true feelings to anyone perceptive enough to notice.**

**"Until we meet again, brother," Thor returned with a nod of his own.**

**Then, Loki drew the glowing blue cube into his hands, closed his eyes, and he and Maya vanished.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recipes:  
> Chhole Bhature - https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/chole-bhature/  
> Bathua (chenopodium) Parantha - https://www.sinamontales.com/bathua-parantha-recipe/  
> Cauliflower Parantha - https://www.archanaskitchen.com/stuffed-gobi-ka-paratha-spiced-cauliflower-flat-bread
> 
> Please let us know how you're liking the story in the comments. We read them all and love them very much. <3


	10. A New Beginning...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein we are introduced to Vanaheim through Maya's eyes...

**IMPORTANT NOTES**

**Bold Text** = _Loki's POV_

Normal Text = _Maya's POV_

* * *

Maya was awestruck.

Vanaheim was so green and beautiful! And not just naturally pretty, but it appeared as though the people there had embraced nature completely. It felt like she had stepped into a big, neverending garden, with everything pruned and perfectly snipped. Even the buildings looked to be a part of the garden landscape, what with their curved walls and facades.

As Loki took her to his aunt's house through numerous groves and around pretty round ponds, her eyes were surely comically wide and dazzled.

"Wow, you weren't joking about it being beautiful," she said, clutching his arm tightly as he led her. "These people are nature lovers on steroids. I can feel the vegetation  _ breathing _ . The magic here is so intense!"

**Loki chuckled and put his hand on hers as he led her down the winding, flower-lined paths, towards the secluded estate where his aunt lived. He truly enjoyed watching Maya's reactions as she took in everything around her - how her eyes went wide and her breath caught, or how her heartbeat quickened. He adored every moment of it.**

**"It is a place made by magic users, for magic users. And my aunt, Lady Idunn, is one of the best. She taught me for centuries..."**

**_Centuries...Maya doesn't have centuries..._ **

**_...at least, not yet._ **

**Loki grinned to himself as he approached the organic-looking abode, twisting out of the ground and forming into a verdant, draping tree--a homage to the Yggdrasil itself. He kissed Maya on the head and stepped forward to knock on the door.**

**When it opened, they were greeted by a beautiful woman in a flowing silver gown, golden hair flowing past her waist with streaks of grey shimmering like moonlight through her tresses. She smiled when her golden eyes landed on them, genuine joy in her expression.**

**"Loki! My dear, welcome! I've** **_so_ ** **been looking forward to your visit!"**

**Loki hugged her tightly, enjoying the familiar warmth of her embrace.**

**"Auntie, it is so good to see you. I've brought a dear friend with me - a Midgardian with magical abilities. Her name is Maya."**

**Loki turned to Maya and smiled, extending his hand. "Maya, this is my aunt, Lady Idunn of Vanaheim, goddess of spring and rejuvenation. My mother's sister."**

So, was this a sort of  _ 'meet the family' _ thing that the Asgardians--and Vanirs--did? 

Maybe yes, maybe no. Because Loki didn't introduce her as anything other than a  _ 'friend' _ , and she couldn't expect him to as well. They had not even known each other for a full week. Given, these last three days felt like three years to her, but still, whatever she and Loki had was still too new to give a name to.

As Lady Idunn--god, she was GORGEOUS--engulfed her in a hug, she looked back at Loki and smiled tentatively. 

"Good to meet you, ma'am," she said, not knowing what the correct social etiquette was here. In her culture, calling anyone elder to oneself by their name was a big no-no. "Loki told me lots of awesome things about your home realm. I'm vibrating with the magical energy of plants here."

She heard the lady chuckle as she pulled away finally, looking at her intently. The moment extended a bit too much for her comfort, but thankfully, Idunn spoke up to dispel it. 

"The magical energy here is welcoming you, dear. The plants have already taken a liking to you. I can feel it too. Now let's come in, both of you, there's so much I want to catch up on." She looked over at Loki with an accusing but still affectionate expression. "Especially  _ you _ , Loki. The last I saw you was what, seventy years ago?"

_ What? Seventy years? _

Maya blinked... 

Oh... she had almost forgotten that these people lived for thousands of years. A few decades seemed so small to them, like they were mere months. Perhaps to them, they WERE like months. For her, it was a whole human lifetime. 

Maya looked down solemnly as Idunn led her and Loki into her home, feeling a sudden melancholy take over her soul. 

She was still very much human, and Loki obviously wasn't. Now, it made sense why he didn't want to name their relationship. It would seem ridiculous to date a human when you lived for thousands of years...

**"Seventy six, thank you very much." Loki laughed as they stepped into his aunt's home. "And I've had quite the time lately, I'm sure you've heard."**

**"Indeed. Your mother keeps me informed," Idunn rolled her eyes and waved her hand, pulling two of the chairs away from the simple leaf-shaped dining table. "Honestly, Loki, the stress you and your brother put her through..."**

**"NOT brother..." Loki corrected, swallowing hard as the pain of his estrangement from his (** **_not_ ** **) parents struck him again. "There's still plenty Odin has to answer for. But we are doing what we can to...reconcile."**

**"You consider 'conquering Midgard' reconciliation?" Idunn's eyebrows went to her forehead, but in a playful, teasing way. There was no malice in her tone.**

**Loki simply sighed and shook his head, not in the mood to discuss** **_that_ ** **issue right now.**

**"You know we will come to terms in due time," he said, sitting and gesturing for Maya to do the same. "But for now, the more important topic is our guest here. I saw her turn raw plants into a potion without touching them."**

**Idunn's surprised look became even more surprised, turning her gaze to Maya. "Is that so? Well, I didn't realize Midgardians had such power. I look forward to seeing that."**

Maya smiled self consciously, nodding. "I will show you. I didn't think it was a big thing. In fact, in comparison to Loki's magic, it's really not that remarkable."

"Then you just haven't honed your natural skills at magic," Idunn corrected her, offering her a plate full of little flower and leaf shaped candies. 

_ Wow, the plant and vegetation theme is almost an overkill here... _

She took the candy and looked at Loki with a bit of uncertainty, wondering if it was safe for human consumption. Obviously, she couldn't ask about it overtly, for the fear of hurting their host's feelings.

Loki smirked and gave her a little nod of approval, and she promptly popped the candy into her mouth. The flavour bomb that burst onto her tongue almost made her gasp. It was sweet and sour and so many other things... 

"This is so good!" she declared, reaching for another candy. "Can I have more?"

**"Of course!" Idunn laughed, and she left the plate on the table next to Maya. "I see you and Loki both have a ravenous sweet tooth,” she further teased. “I can always make more. And I'm curious about** **_your_ ** **cuisine - I hear that Midgardians have an innumerable variety of foods, but we so rarely have the pleasure of meeting one."**

**Loki nodded and leaned forward, putting his hand over Idunn's. "You haven't any idea how incredible the food of Maya's culture is. Indian food is divine. She'll make addicts of all of you in no time at all."**

**With a sign, Loki looked solemnly at Idunn, squeezing her hand.**

**"You know what I'm here to ask for, don’t you?"**

**"Yes." Idunn smiled, her eyes wrinkling at the corners, reminding him so much of Frigga in this moment. "Yes, Loki. I would be happy to."**

**She looked at Maya with hope and pride, pure joy radiating from her smile.**

**"If you would like to stay, that is."**

Maya nodded. "I'd  _ love  _ to. I do want to learn more about my powers. I feel like I've been practising it in the dark..."

She shook her head, looking down at her clasped hands. 

"It's a blessing that Loki came into my life. Otherwise, I'd not have learned anything about advanced magics. But, I just want to state one thing… even though I'll be learning, I don't want to be a burden." She looked up sheepishly. "I want to contribute and be productive. I've always been self reliant... so being dependent on others feels strange to me."

**"Oh, you will earn your keep." Idunn smiled, using her magic to call a pitcher from a nearby counter and bringing it to the table to fill the empty glasses there. "We believe in hard work, and helping the community. We take care of each other; you will find your place, as we all do."**

**She filled the translucent glasses with an orange liquid - nectar of a native flower - gulbrúnur. Loki knew that it was a medicinal plant, but never fully learned all of its properties. Still, the juice was a comfort to him. That fragrant aroma always brought him back to happy summers as a child.**

**"Your education will serve to help the universe," Idunn continued, partaking in the nectar with them. "Very few races are able to wield magic. And even fewer individuals are adept at it. My nephew is something of a prodigy - though don't tell him that. It tends to go to his head."**

**"Auntie!" Loki scoffed, making a sarcastically hurt look before grinning at Maya and taking a sip of his drink. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean. I'm the most humble Prince of Asgard that ever lived."**

Maya enjoyed their easy banter. Loki looked so relaxed and happy here, so unlike his troubled self back on Earth. She wanted to see him like this--happy and at ease--at all times. 

She sipped the juice-like liquid as Loki teased his aunt back, soaking in the pleasant atmosphere of the place. If this was how the Vanir lived, then she could get used to it... in time.

"This is delicious," she said after finishing her drink and placing her glass on the delicate looking side-table. "It reminds me of the citrus fruit we get in winters, called Kinnow. Very nice and refreshing."

"Oh? Here, it's a summer flower nectar," Idunn replied with a chuckle. "I'm glad that we have something that reminds you of home, and in a pleasant way. I'll bring you more..."

Before Maya could refuse--for she didn't want to look like a glutton--Idunn got up and went away to another room. She assumed it was the kitchen. Or whatever the Vanir had in place of a kitchen...

"I like her a lot," Maya whispered to Loki while Idunn was gone. "And she's so very pretty, kind of like  _ Galadriel  _ from the  _ Lord of the Rings _ book series. Thank you for bringing me here."

**"You are most welcome," Loki smiled and leaned forward, kissing her softly. His smile widened against her lips and he ran his fingers through her hair, relaxing into the sensation of their lips brushing against each other. He felt her gasp and tremble, and he pulled back, enjoying the blush taking over her face.**

**"I think you'll do very well here. Much better than Palampur," he chuckled, stroking some of the wayward curls from her face. "But I do want to go back and visit someday. We still need to see the other temples."**

"Me too. After all, it’s where I spent my childhood; there are so many memories attached. Perhaps one day we can go back," she said, clasping his hand in hers. "I'd love to show you more of India. Palampur is just a small town, there's so much more... but for now, I want to build a life here, learn magic properly, and reach my full potential soon."

She put her head against his shoulder, just enjoying the gentle intimacy. 

"I've brought my plants here, so I can still feed you your favourite paranthas when I start growing them here. My power can make the plants grow anywhere, so it shouldn't be a problem." But as she said that, it occurred to her that he was a prince of Asgard, so he'd probably stay in Asgard more often than not. "Wait, you  _ will  _ come to visit me, right? I mean, I know that you need to go to Asgard right now and resolve whatever problems you have over there, but I want to see you again..."

**A sad look overcame his face when she asked… for he couldn't hide the truth from her… not forever.**

**But he could spin it. For now.**

**"As often as I can..." he said, holding her close. "I will want to visit you all the time… but I have some responsibilities I need to live up to. I hope you'll forgive me if I'm not around as often as you'd like. But I will do everything I can to see you."**

**He couldn't stop his eyes from welling up. He couldn't hide from her that this was going to be goodbye...**

For some reason, Maya was feeling as though he wasn't telling her the complete truth. 

"You need to sort your family issues, right? But... it can't be that bad. I mean, from what I've seen, your brother cares for you. And despite what happened, a family tries to listen and comfort their child," she said, though she herself knew that that wasn't always the case. "I... I'll pray for you, for your safety. And I'll be waiting right here..."

She was going to kiss him again, but then Idunn came back into the room, bringing a tray with more nectar. That prompted Maya to pull away from Loki and sit in a more appropriate manner.

They chatted with Idunn merrily for another few minutes, but Maya remained tense. That distinctly sad look in Loki's eyes was bothering her still.

**As the night approached and the sky turned to a bright orange and purple, Idunn stood and began to walk to the door.**

**"Maya, allow me to show you to your new home. I think you'll like it."**

**They headed out behind Idunn's tree home into a thicker forest, and there among the trees was a small house amongst the branches. It sparkled with torchlight and cast a welcoming glow against the darkening silhouettes of the trees.**

**Loki took Maya’s hand as they walked to the treehouse, his heart bursting with joy that she had a beautiful cottage of her own to enjoy now. She would definitely flourish here.**

"Whoa, do you just  _ give  _ people houses to live in just like that?" Maya asked, baffled by the fact that she not only had a place to call home now, but that it was also furnished with all the basic necessities. "I just... I don't understand... what's the rent?"

Loki and Idunn both chuckled at that.

"The ‘rent’ is your best effort at studying magic at my seidr academy. I offer accommodation to new students who come here from other realms. It gives them a safe space to call home, so that they can start their studies without any worries," Idunn answered, opening the door to the treehouse and handing Maya the key.

Maya was so grateful for it that she started crying. Silently, but still...

Idunn didn't notice, for she was turned away, but Loki did. He wrapped his arms around her and shushed her gently, kissing her forehead.

"Thank you," she whispered, leaning into him. God, he was the best thing to happen to her. Even his aunt was so kind… 

**“You’re so welcome, Maya...” he murmured into her hair, taking in her scent, committing it to memory. He didn’t know when he would get to indulge in that fragrant aroma that was so uniquely her...when he would get to touch her again...**

**“Auntie, could Maya and I have some time to talk privately?” he asked, still holding onto Maya as he trained his gaze towards Idunn.**

**With a knowing nod, Idunn smiled. She took Maya’s hands and kissed her cheeks softly in a gesture of farewell.**

**“Enjoy the rest of your evening. Settle in, and come to my house in the morning for breakfast. We will start your training tomorrow. As for you,” Idunn grinned and hugged Loki fully. “Be good.”**

**Loki laughed halfheartedly as he returned the embrace. “As if I could deny you, dear aunt. Thank you again...I look forward to our next meeting.”**

**With that, Idunn went back to her house, and Loki and Maya entered the treehouse. As soon as they were alone, Loki kissed her passionately, losing his ability to stop himself. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him like he would never let go…**

**Alas… he knew that he’d eventually have to, and that only made him clutch her tighter.**

Maya was a bit taken aback by his aggressive kisses, but still, very happy to receive his attentions. She kissed him back with gusto, pouring in all her affection into it. He held her so tightly that she thought she'd bruise. 

Something about this kiss was...  _ different _ . Almost desperate. She wondered why.

"Loki," she mumbled against his lips. She wanted to say more, but he pressed his lips to hers again, essentially stopping her. She gave in then, twining her tongue with his, tasting that flower nectar on it. 

He pressed her against the treehouse’s wall as they made out, taking both of their clothes away with a glint of his magic. And then all of a sudden he was inside her, taking her breath away with that long thrust. 

"Loki!" she cried out, clutching him with her channel, her eyes fluttering in pleasure and that slight, delicious twinge of pain.

**Loki wanted to touch every part of her, to commit the softness of her skin and the heat of her breath to his deepest memories. He wanted to lose himself in her, to forget that anything existed outside of the two of them and this little treehouse, to pretend that this could be the happy ending he’d never dared to imagine for himself.**

**He thrust against her, the wet heat of her center drawing the pleasure from him, pulling moans and curses and affirmations of desire from his throat. The way she moved against him, grabbed him, wrapped herself in him...it was the sweetest ambrosia in the Nine Realms. Then her magic swelled, surrounding them, making everything even more intense as it entwined with his while they neared a quick completion.**

**Loki was able to pick her up and carry her to the nearby bed before laying her down and holding her hands above her head, their fingers wrapped tightly together. He kissed her all around her jaw, down her neck, along her collarbones, the whole while keeping a steady, strong pace, feeling that coil of pleasure tighten within both of them…**

**He was devouring her like a ravenous, desperate beast. For now, he could, and so he didn’t want to waste a single moment of their time together.**

"Loki... oh God... I'm-I'm close," she moaned, arching her body to meet his thrusts, her legs wrapping around his hips. Her ankles pressed into his ass, egging him on, loving the roughness and the hungry intensity of their lovemaking. 

She never knew that she'd actually love this kind of sex. 

"Fuck me," she growled as he bit and sucked on her nipples. "HARDER!"

She wasn't used to using such language, but he just brought something wild out of her. The way he was pinning her to the bed with his body, holding her arms down... it was just drawing out her pleasure like a snowmelt flood.

**Loki obliged her.**

**With a growl, he quickened his pace, snapping his hips forward and grinding deep inside her hot sex, breathing heavily, sweating, reveling in the sweet sound of her moaning and begging.**

**“Come for me, Maya...” he whispered huskily as he felt his orgasm approaching. “Come for me** **_now_ ** **...”**

She came so hard that her magic flowed into him like a tidal wave, uncontrolled and completely wild. Her nails scratched down his back, wanting purchase. His skin was too tough to break, but it still gave her a raw satisfaction when he growled into her neck and throbbed inside her. 

And then she felt HIS magic's tidal wave. It nearly knocked her out, it was just THAT powerful. She whimpered upon its impact, clenching around him as another orgasm hit her. She lost herself to it completely, losing all awareness for a while as she floated away… 

By the time she regained consciousness, Loki had pulled out of her and was holding her tightly, almost like she was his stuffed  _ teddy _ .

"That was... something else..." she murmured, her voice hoarse from crying out so loudly.

**“It is...it was...” Loki said, holding her close and nuzzling into her neck, trying to keep his tears from landing on her and giving away the pain he felt in addition to the afterglow of their lovemaking. “You are truly unique, Maya...truly.”**

**He saw her eyes begin to flutter, and he stroked her hair back from her face, kissing her softly.**

**“Sleep well, my dear. Your new life is just beginning...I’m so proud of you. You’re going to do great things...”**

**She smiled as he praised her, and he felt her breathing even out and her body relax. He stayed there for hours, simply enjoying their intimacy while she slept, never wanting it to end...**

**But as the sun began to lighten in the sky, he knew his time was up. He unwrapped himself from her, careful not to wake her, then brought out all of her items out of his interdimensional storage, leaving them near the small table for her to organize. Afterwards, he retrieved the Tesseract and held it in his hands as it glowed with power.**

**He was still wearing the kurta and leggings she had given him...**

**“Until we meet again, sweet one...” he said softly, taking one last look at Maya, committing her sleeping form to his memory. Then he closed his eyes, and the swirling black and blue clouds surrounded him, engulfed him, sending him to the other end of the universe.**

* * *

\--New York City, Midgard--

“So you just  _ let him go _ ?!” Tony threw his hands up in the air, exasperated. “You found him and what, he hypnotized you into leaving him alone? Is that it? I thought he couldn’t do that without the scepter!”

Thor had finally admitted to the team that he had found Loki, though he had been able to keep it to himself for at least a day. He was never good at hiding the truth from others.

“No, he did not control my mind, Stark. But he’ll bring himself to justice. I am sure of it.”

Tony gave him a look of utter disbelief. “Oh, that’s just great. You’re  _ sure  _ of it. Very convincing. I just can’t— _ AHHH _ !”

Just as Tony turned around, Loki appeared right behind him, carrying the Tesseract and grinning wickedly.

“Hello, Tony Stark. I’ve come to turn myself in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Free tissues to everyone!
> 
> *Latent and Rose run away from the readers, hand-in-hand, after causing the feels flood*
> 
> Sowwy!  
> Please rant at us in the comments. :P

**Author's Note:**

> Let us know your thoughts in the comments. And don't forget to leave a Kudo if this piece pleased you. 
> 
> We'll try to update this story on a weekly basis, since most of it is already written. It's gonna be **SAFE SUNDAYS!**


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